Lost
by Muggle Jane
Summary: Luna's always said she could hear voices from beyond the veil. One day, one of those voices is particularly strong and she finds someone that had been given up as lost.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Disclaimer of disclaiming- not my characters, etc.**

I was sitting in Hermione Granger's office when I first heard the voice calling to me. Hermione was busy and flustered, as she usually was. Her hair was a good indicator of how intensely she was working, and that day it spread wildly around her face like a fluffy brown cloud. That's why I visited her so often, to bring a sense of calm to her day.

They hadn't wanted to let me in at first, of course. There had been quite a commotion when I'd first been discovered wandering through the Ministry with no shoes on. I'd grown used to not wearing shoes during school and I felt it attuned me better to my surroundings. Kingsley Shacklebolt had stood up for me and offered me a job as a "general assistant." When I'd asked him what my job duties were to be, he'd told me that I was to help out those who needed it, so long as I didn't touch anything. He'd said I was a panacea to the still-much-disturbed nature of the Ministry.

He became a dear friend and I spent a good deal of time with him as well. He spoke slowly and carefully and never once mocked me for saying things that weren't widely known or popular. People tend to speak over me as though I'm hard of hearing. One day, someone had asked him just what the bloody hell I was doing there and he'd told them seriously that I brought peace to a troubled time. I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but I did notice that things tended to get a little quieter and more efficient when I was around.

I delivered messages and ran errands and sat with Kingsley when his hat was crooked over his left eye, and with Hermione when her hair was like a great cloud.

Like it was that day. Her eyes were moving frantically over papers, a quill snatched up viciously in her hands. She talked to herself like that and I sat, still and quiet, watching her. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" she snapped at me. She did that sometimes, when she was frustrated with her work. I never took it seriously, I knew she really didn't mean it.

_Lost,_ I heard the voice say, far away in my head. I looked around the room for the source of it. It was a man's voice, weary and pained. _Lost_, he said again.

Hermione had not heard the voice. She was lost, but only in a myriad of papers and ink. The voice, I was certain, was lost in an entirely different, and rather more serious, way.

"I do," I replied. "I'll come back in a little while."

She sigh, pushing her hands through her hair. "I'm sorry I snapped, Luna."

I smiled at her gently. "It's alright, Hermione. You weren't snapping at me, you were snapping at your papers. But I truly do need to go now. Someone is calling for me."

She stared at me for a moment, then turned back to her work. "I'll see you later."

_Lost_, the voice said again. It pulled at my brain. It was a familiar voice, filled with anguish and hopelessness. I got to my feet and followed the tugging sensation in my brain.

I shut Hermione's door behind me and walked slowly down the hall with my eyes closed. I heard people moving around me, heard the footsteps and the curiousity, the bustle and the confusion. I heard life passing me by and I knew somehow that what I was searching for with my eyes closed wasn't a part of the daily life of the Ministry.

The stone floor was cool and smooth under my feet. _Lost_. I let the voice guide me. He would bring me to him if I just listened closely enough. And so I listened and I walked.

Noise fell away as I walked through the Ministry. There weren't as many people where I was going, but that made sense. It's difficult to be lost when you're surrounded by people.

I quite suddenly bumped into a door. I opened my eyes, blinking in the dim light, and looked around. There was no one else around me and there were less lights. The corridor was tidy but had that air of being seldom used.

_Lost_. The voice was behind the door. I opened the door. I had been in this room before, though not in several years. It was exactly as it was the last time I had seen it, though rather less crowded and busy. There was a pit, and a dais, and on that dais was an old archway, ancient and crumbling. A black curtain hung in the archway and it seemed to beckon to me.

_Lost_. The voice was quite loud now. I heard it in the room as opposed to far away in my head. He was almost in the room with me, though not quite. Perhaps he was stuck just behind the curtain.

I was moving toward that curtain before I even realized it. The floor was cold here, not just cool, almost cold enough to hurt. I stepped quickly, wanting to be away from it even though I couldn't help but moving toward it. I could hear more voices now, wordless whispers that filled my mind and spilled out like fog. I reached through the curtain and there he was. A hand grasped mine firmly, desperately, and I pulled him out.

"There now, it's alright," I said softly to the man. "You're not lost anymore."

He clung to me tightly, one hand gripping mine and the other closed on my arm near my elbow. He didn't speak again, just held to me as though he was afraid I would disappear. His dark hair fell over his face, obstructing his features, but I was overcome with a sense of familiarity. I had seen this man before, in this room. I knew him.

"Kingsley will help us," I told him softly, tucking my other hand over his. "He always seems to know the right thing to do."

He let me lead him back out of the room and the door shut loudly behind us as if on its own. The man jumped, startled, and clutched my arm as though he was trying to wrap himself around it.

"We'll have to walk," I said quietly. "We can't apparate in here."

He nodded, and I got a flash of turbulent gray eyes through his curtain of dark hair. This was the first time he'd indicated that he could even hear me. He was taller than me and with every step my shoulder brushed against his chest. I let him dictate the pace and he walked as though he were moving through a dream, each step hesitant and careful.

As we walked back into the part of the Ministry where the people were, I saw the looks of shock and horror and confusion. There were whispers and mutterings as people stopped and stared, and then a great deal of movement behind us after we passed.

Ron was there, I spotted his red hair poking out from the crowd. He stared at us like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Luna," he whispered in disbelief. "Is that who it looks like?"

"This is a man who needs help," I replied quietly.

"Luna," I heard Kingsley call and I turned my face up to whisper to the man beside me.

"There's Kingsley now," I said reassuringly. "He'll know what to do for us."

The crowd that had gathered about us parted for the Minister of Magic and he stopped before us. He looked between us, assessing the situation. "Yes, come back to my office," he stated finally. "Everyone, back to work please," he addressed the crowd firmly.

He led the way back to his large office. Ron and a couple of full aurors were walking along behind us. Kingsley came to the solid wood door and ushered us into his office. He had a desk, of course, and a chair behind it for him to sit in, and a pair of chairs for those he met with. I eyed the chairs. "I don't think this will work," I told him apologetically.

He looked between us, at where the man was clutching me tightly enough that his knuckles stood out in sharp white detail against his skin. With a flick of Kingsley's wand, the chairs melded together into a small couch.

"We should sit down," I murmured to the man and he sank down with me, not daring to let go of my hand and arm.

There were two aurors behind us, and Ron as well. He hadn't finished his training, the auror to our left was his mentor.

Kingsley sat down on the edge of his desk, staring down at us- rather, staring at the man who was sitting so close to me as to almost be on my knee. "Luna," he began gently in that deep, careful voice. "Where did you find a man who looks exactly like Sirius Black?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! itsMrsBlack- Thank you, very much! :D TheMidnightwolf15- Yes, the whole story will be in Luna's POV.**

"I am Sirius Black," the man beside me said quietly, so quietly that I think only I heard him. I squeezed the hand close to my elbow reassuringly. "I am Sirius Black," he repeated somewhat louder. His voice was smooth, elegant almost, but I could hear a trace of the anguish buried deep inside. "Where's Harry?" Concern, now, and just a touch of hope poking through the darkness.

Kingsley gave a pointed look to the auror on our right and the door opened and closed. He turned his attention back to us. "Luna?" he repeated.

"He called to me," I replied. "In my head, where no one else could hear him. He needed my help. I walked and walked and then there was a door and a pit and a curtain." I thought back to that time all those years ago. "You were there in that room, do you remember, Kingsley? That night with the whispers and screams."

He looked at us for another long moment, his dark eyes unreadable. "I need to step out for a moment."

"We'll be fine here," I assured him.

He stood and walked around us, pressing a hand to my shoulder as he went by. The door opened and shut and the man who said he was Sirius Black and I were alone.

I looked up into his face, pale and drawn. "It'll be alright," I reassured him softly.

He turned his head and his stormy gray eyes met mine. He was haunted, I read it in his eyes. "What's happening?"

"Kingsley is talking. They'll most likely make sure that you're you, and then we'll be off to St Mungo's to make sure your body is healthy."

"Harry?"

"He's probably just outside, talking with Kingsley. He thought you were dead, this will be a rather large shock for him."

He peered at me then, like he was really seeing me for the first time. He looked down to where he had possession of my arm. His grip loosened and color flooded back into his knuckles, but he didn't let go. "Who are you? I remember..."

"I'm Luna," I said with a smile. "Harry is one of my good friends. I was there that night when you fell, do you remember?"

One of the clouds filling his mind lifted, leaving his eyes just a little less stormy. He nodded, his movements uncoordinated and jerky. "How long-"

He was interrupted by the door opening again. We looked over our shoulders. Harry stood in the doorway, uncertainty in his green eyes. "Hello, Harry," I greeted him pleasantly.

He barely even registered I was there, he was so concerned about the man who said he was Sirius Black. "Sirius?" he whispered, disbelief pouring out from his mouth.

The man beside me stared back and after a moment, the corners of his mouth dared turn up into a smile. "You look older, son." Another cloud in his head lifted and more hope took its place. He stood then and I rose with him. He'd forgotten I was there; like I was just another part of his body. The hand near my elbow slipped away and extended through the air over the back of the couch to where Harry was standing.

Harry took one step and then another one. Their hands joined and then they were embracing over the back of the couch and I moved forward to kneel on the furniture as the man who said he was Sirius still hadn't released me.

The full aurors outside the doors were casting charms and anti-charms at the man beside me, I could see them around Harry, wands and mouths moving. At last they turned to Kingsley and I could see them tell him what he wanted to hear. And then they were gone, Ron as well although after some protest.

Harry and Sirius parted, and Kingsley came into the room. "Mr. Black, you'll need to go to St. Mungo's to have a healer look at you."

"I feel fine," he said dismissively and Kingsley frowned.

"This has never happened before," I told him. "No one has come back out. They need to make sure your body is stable and healthy."

Again he looked at me as though he was just realizing I was there. I saw him take in my position on the couch and his eyes filled with apologies. "It's alright," I told him kindly. "I'll be with you."

"Harry..." his voice trailed off.

"I need to stay here and sort some things out," Harry said. "I'll be along to see you later."

Sirius nodded and I could see the disappointment in his face. Clouds were coming back into his eyes again. "Until later, then." He withdrew into himself again, just a little bit.

The younger wizard turned and left the room, leaving a trail of unspoken questions shining between them.

I got down from the couch and stood beside Sirius. His hand found my arm again and he held me close against him, as though I was the only thing anchoring him there. "Let's get this over with," he said over my head to Kingsley and a trace of the hopelessness was back in his voice.

"We'll have to floo," Kingsley said. "We can do it from here, it'll take us right to a private part of the hospital where we won't be disturbed." There was a large fireplace to one side of the room, hardly ever lit. I'd suspected that it was for secret floo travel.

I looked up at Sirius. "You'll have to let me go now," I told him quietly. "We'll floo, I'll be right behind you."

His grip on my arm tightened again and his eyes regained that haunted look. "Lost," he murmured desperately and I shook my head.

"We can't floo," I told my dear friend.

He frowned. He'd noticed the change that had come over Sirius. "Quite. I'll... Figure it out."

He left and the door closed again.

"Sirius," I said quietly, pulling his attention away from his inner turmoil. "Sirius, we're not going anywhere."

I saw him surface from within himself. He used my eyes to help pull himself out. "Luna, how long has it been since I..."

"Fell?" I supplied helpfully. "Four years. The war is over and Voldemort is dead and we're still working through putting everything back together again. It takes some time." I went to sit down again and he let me pull him down next to me. "Harry is happy, he's training to be an auror now."

"What about the rest? Where's Arthur and Remus and..."

"There were a lot of casualties," I said quietly. "Are you sure you want to hear right now?"

"No. I'm not ready to hear about loss."

"Your heart is still too full," I agreed. "I'll talk about happy things and maybe it'll empty out some."

"You're happy, Luna. Tell me about you. What are doing in this place? I must be keeping you from your duties." His grip loosened again, but he didn't let me go

"The Ministry? I'm here to help people. Right now, you need help. I'm helping you."

The door burst open and a wizard in the lime green healer's robes came in, Kingsley trailing behind him. The healer seemed rather disgruntled to be outside of the hospital. He waved his wand at Sirius and a quill started moving on its own on the parchment floating beside him. After a time he said, "You seem well, Mr. Black, as though you haven't aged since you..." he trailed off, unsure of the proper word to use.

"Fell," I suggested.

"Yes." There was a frown for me. "I don't understand your attachment to Miss Lovegood, however."

"I imagine it takes some time for a body to get used to being in the corporeal world again," I said quietly. "I imagine that a body would want an anchor of sorts as it adjusts."

The healer looked at me sharply, the frown creasing his forehead. "And you, Miss Lovegood, are that anchor?" He had that unfriendly tone in his voice. I heard it often when I mentioned my theories. Dad did too. It was often accompanied by a look- that look. The one the healer wore, where his eyes held a mixture of pity and superiority.

"Yes," I replied simply, answering his comment as though he'd meant it at face value.

He shook his head at me and turned his attention to Sirius. "I'm going to give you a dreamless sleep potion. I want you to take it right now and I suspect you'll feel a little better oriented when you wake."

Sirius looked at me, more clouds forming in the depths of his eyes. "Luna..."

"I'll be right here with you. I'll stay until you wake up. You really should sleep," I urged him. "Sleep allows the body to rest so the mind can catch up. Your mind has a lot of catching up to do."

He took the offered purple potion and, casting another look down at me, drained it. His eyes began to droop and his head fell against the back of the transfigured couch.

Kingsley, who'd been quiet the entire time, showed the healer out. They exchanged some quiet words, and then the door shut once more and he came and sat on the edge of his desk again, arms folded over his chest. "Do you think you could get free now?" he asked me, looking down to where Sirius was still clutching me, even in his sleep.

I nodded. "Yes, I believe so. I don't think I should go too far, Kingsley. I think he needs me right now, even though he's sleeping."

He nodded, his lips pursed as he thought. That was the stage just before the unsettling of his hat, first over the right eye and then over the left. "I'm going to do something that I hardly ever do." I waited, silently, for him to continue. "You'll apparate with Mr. Black to your house, and I will come with you to get him settled before I come back here."

"My house?" I repeated. "To avoid notice?"

"Quite," he replied. "I imagine the rumors will already be flying around." He gave a rueful smile. "No one will expect him to be at the residence of a young witch."

"There are benefits to being rather dismissable," I agreed. I saw him wince at the words, but I held no bitterness towards the fact. It simply was. "What about Harry?"

"I"m going to take your floo off the network until we get this all sorted out." He rubbed his face and the hat set crookedly over his right eye. "I'm also going to place a Fidelius charm on your house. I will only tell Mr. Potter. I expect he and young Miss Weasley will be along later this evening." He rubbed his forehead again and there it was, the hat set over his left eye. I watched it settle there in a miasma of unease.

"I wish I could stay here with you," I said. "Help you sort this all out."

"I quite think Mr. Black will have need of your presence more than I, my dear." His tone was somewhat regretful. "You'll need to keep him with you when he wakes up. There are a large number of legal implications that will need to be sorted out before Mr. Black can rejoin society." Regret dropped from his deep voice and filled the room like a heavy black carpet. "Even then, there will be those who object to his presence."

"Probably the same people who object to mine."

"Yes," he agreed with another wince that transformed itself into a scowl. Had he not been my friend and had the scowl been aimed at me, I would have been made more than a little uncomfortable by the ferocity of it. "We should go, there's a lot to be done."

I waited for him to indicate the Anti-Disapparition Jinx had been lifted and I apparated both myself and Sirius to just outside my house.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I don't know that it matters, but I changed the first genre to angst because... So much angst.**

I had a lovely little house. My childhood home had been destroyed during the war and rather than rebuilding, my dad had taken a flat in Diagon Alley, just above the office of the Quibbler. I'd purchased a little house in Cornwall, near Shell Cottage. I loved living on the beach, the waves sang me to sleep every night and most mornings there was a fog wrapping my little house like a blanket.

I heard the pop of Kingsley apparating in just behind me. This wasn't his first time to my house, I'd had him over for tea on several occasions. "Let's get inside," he said. He lifted Sirius off the ground and I led our little procession into my house.

The door opened into my living room and he arranged Sirius on my long yellow couch. My house was all done up in yellow and pink, sunshiny and cheerful. It was like living in a flower in summertime.

"Do you need anything?" he asked, straightening.

"No, thank you."

"He should wake up in the morning. Owl if there's anything I can do."

"Thank you, Kingsley, but I expect you'll be rather busy for the next few days. I'll come back when I can."

He shook his head. "You need to stay here with Mr. Black. I'll let you know when... the world is ready for you. Bill Weasley and his wife live near here don't they?" At my nod, he continued. "If he feels up to it, you two can go and visit. Just stay close."A deep sigh released trepidation and regret into my sunny house. "I don't mean for you to be prisoners here."

I placed my free hand on his shoulder. "We'll be alright," I said quietly.

He pressed my hand with his own for a moment and then he let himself out, shutting the door behind him. I could hear him outside, casting the charm.

I sat down on the edge of the couch and watched the sleeping man. He looked peaceful at last. All of the clouds in his mind were gone from from his face, at least for a little while. I had to smile at him. After a moment, I eased my arm gently from his grip. There were some bruises on the back of my hand and on my arm near my elbow. I rubbed them absently before moving through my small house to find an extra blanket.

I had a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom with a wonderful bath, my bedroom and the spare room that guests- my dad and sometimes Ginny- slept in. There was a small garden where I grew dirigible plums, with a stone path, fenced in out front, and the back opened up onto the sandy beach.

I pulled a blanket out of my spare room and draped it over the sleeping wizard on my couch. I made some tea and sat down for a while, grateful to have my arm back, at least until morning.

That evening, just before I sat down to dinner, there was a knock at the door. I opened the door to admit Harry and Ginny. "Come in," I offered. "I was about to have dinner, would you like some?"

"No, thank you," Harry replied, focusing his green eyes on the man sleeping on the couch behind me. "He's asleep?" He was carrying a large wooden trunk.

"Yes. He's taken a potion. It'll help his mind catch up with his body on this side."

"This... side?" Ginny asked.

"Of the veil," I replied. "It's got to be a lot for him to process. His mind is filled with clouds."

"What exactly happened, Luna?"

"He was lost. He called out to me and I had to find him. I followed, and then he was right there behind the curtain, waiting for me, desperate for me to find him."

Harry stared at the sleeping wizard for a moment. He deposited the trunk just inside my door and then spun on his heel and left. Ginny followed after him, an apology falling from her face. They disapparated with a crack and I shut the door behind them.

Harry was hurt. He carried his hurt in a cloud around him and he wasn't ready to release it yet. "He will," I told my sleeping guest quietly. There was no response, of course. It was nice to see him quiet.

I ate my dinner and then wrote out a short letter to Hermione, apologizing for not getting back to her, and sent it off with my owl, Bunny. I tidied the house a little and then pulled my pillow and a blanket out to the living room for sleep. I set up a small pallet on the floor beside the couch and took Sirius' hand as I settled down to sleep in my yellow nightdress. It was important for me to be there when he woke.

* * *

The grip on my hand tightened and I woke up. My hand was numb, all the blood had left it during the night. "Good morning," I greeted my houseguest.

"Where am I?" he asked after a moment.

I sat up and looked at him. He was sitting as well, staring down at me. "You're in my house," I replied gently. The morning light was coming in through my unshuttered windows, scattered through the fog. It was like a cosy blanket for the house. "We're in Cornwall, on the beach."

He examined the hand he was holding for a moment and then placed it gently on the couch beside him. "Did I do that?" he asked, pointing to the bruises.

"Yes," I replied, taking my hand back and shaking it to urge the blood into it again.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lovegood," he said.

I peered up into his gray eyes. They were quiet this morning, the shadows and storms had fled during the night. Now they looked sad, remorseful. "Luna," I corrected him gently. "It's alright. You didn't intend to hurt me, you just needed something to hold onto to keep you here."

"Is Kingsley Shacklebolt the Minister of Magic?"

I nodded. "He's sorting out the whole situation now. It's rather complicated when someone comes back from the dead. Harry brought a trunk for you."

He was wearing the same thing he'd worn the night that he fell, and now he looked considerably rumpled up from sleep. "Harry was here? How is he?"

"He's hurting," I responded honestly. "He doesn't know why you called out to me and not him. He's worried about you, too. You left everything to him in the will and now he's worried about your well-being." He hadn't said it, but I'd read the worry in the pinch between his eyes.

"I don't care about any of that," he snapped.

"I know," I said softly. "Why don't you have a shower and I'll cook us some breakfast? The bathroom is the door at the end of the hall, there's a towel and soap laid out for you."

Wordlessly, he stood and grabbed the trunk before heading down the hall to the bathroom. The door slammed with a frustrated bang.

I got up as well. My hand was still tingling a little as I grabbed the bedding and returned it to its proper place. I dressed for the day in a pink and green dress, like a happy spring rose. I went into the kitchen and set about making tea and eggs and potatoes for breakfast. The shower ran as I cooked, and then Sirius appeared in the entryway wearing fresh clothing, his hair still wet from the shower. "I'm... sorry, Luna."

"It's alright," I replied. "This is rather a lot all at once. Harry will come around again soon, you can owl him if you'd like. Sit down, I made breakfast."

He pulled out a chair and after a moment, it became obvious that he was waiting for me. I served the eggs and potatoes to the table and he took the plates from my hand and gestured for me to sit. He'd been raised properly, I knew. The Black family was one of the older wizarding families, and they had strict ideas on manners.

I sat down and he placed a plate in front of me and then pushed my chair in a little. "Oh! I forgot the tea!" The pot was steeping beside the stove.

Sirius went over and got it before sitting down in his seat. My wooden table was small, suitable for four. He seated himself on my right and poured the tea for me.

"Thank you," I told him graciously.

"What's the plan?" he asked me after a moment. "Shacklebolt has to have a plan."

"Yes. We're to stay here until he gets everything sorted out for you. We caused rather a large commotion yesterday and there's going to be a lot of talk. There's a Fidelius Charm here, Kingsley is the secret keeper and only Harry has been told."

Annoyance swooped across his face like a raven. "I'm to be stuck indoors again then, am I?"

"No," I replied evenly. "As long as we stay close to the house. Bill Weasley and his wife Fleur live just down the beach and we can owl them for a visit if you'd like, although with such a young baby it may not be convenient very often." I paused, seeing him grip his fork tightly. Angry clouds started to gather in his eyes. "Very few people in the wizarding world think I amount to much at all, no one is going to come looking for you here. The Fidelius is just a precaution."

"They'll have seen me clutching you like a blasted baby with a doll. Surely someone is bright enough to connect the two of us, even at the Ministry." The sarcasm dripped from his voice like acid.

"Certainly. But I've been taken off the floo network. I can count the friends who concern themselves enough to know where I live on my fingers."

He stared at me hard for a moment. "Why aren't you upset?" he yelled at last. "Accosted by a strange man and then trapped at your house for Merlin knows how long with the same."

"Nothing will be changed by my being upset, Mr. Black," I said gently. "My friends speak well of you and I'm rather inclined to trust their judgement. I imagine it'll take a little time before you're back to yourself again."

He threw his fork down and stormed out, breakfast half-eaten. The back door was right in the kitchen and he opened it and slammed it shut behind him.

I finished eating breakfast and started clearing the table.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: atDOTShy- Thank you! It won't let me write out your name, for some reason. itMrsBlack- I want to, too! Although I'm not quite as fond as yellow as she is... :D**

I was sitting down to read the latest edition of the Quibbler. I had it sent every week. There was also a short missive from Hermione about how she'd heard what happened and she understood, delivered by a Ministry owl around the same time.

There was a soft scratching at the back door, like there was a furry animal who wanted in. That was different, I didn't know of any furry animals nearby. I went and opened the door. There was a very large black dog sitting there. "Oh, hello," I greeted. "Harry told me you were an animagus. I hope you had a good run on the beach."

The dog dropped to his belly and covered his nose with a paw, whining a little. I laughed in delight at the display, it was an entirely canine apology. "That's alright," I assured him. "It's got to be difficult adjusting to being a living person again, especially when you're to be confined with an odd witch you don't really know."

He got up again and pushed his wet nose into my hand. I patted his head on reflex. "You're very soft," I observed. "I do love dogs. Dad didn't allow us to have one when I was growing up. He said they would scare away the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. I'm not entirely sure why, as they're said to live only in Sweden and not Devon." I met his gray eyes, so like his eyes as a man. "Would you like some water, Mr. Black?"

The dog nodded and I went over to the cupboard to get a small bowl. I filled it with water and placed it on the floor and he slurped from it for a moment. "I'm going to leave the door open," I told him. "It's a lovely day outside and you can come and go as you wish without any hands."

I went back into the living room and regained my place on my large, yellow couch with my paper. After a moment, Sirius followed me in. "I have a guest room for you to sleep in tonight," I informed him. "I moved your trunk in there while you were out. The bed is more comfortable than the couch, anyway. It's the door on the left."

He padded over and rested his head on my knee. He looked up at me with those intelligent gray eyes. I reached out to stroke the soft fur between his ears again. "Would you like to sit with me? We can share my paper."

He hoisted himself onto the couch and settled down with his head on my leg. He didn't appear to be reading the paper, he seemed content just being there.

I'd finished the paper and was part-way through a book when he raised his head and his ears perked up. He got off the couch and padded over to the front door. He sniffed at the crack in the door for a moment and then there was a polite knock from the other side.

I stood, leaving my book on the couch, and went over to the door. Kingsley was on the other side when I opened it. He smiled at me and then frowned when he caught sight of Sirius, who was sitting just in front of my legs.

"You'll have to register as an animagus when we get this all sorted out," he told my guest. "I have to say, I'd forgotten you could do that."

"Would you like some tea?" I offered, ushering him inside and shutting the door behind him.

"No, thank you, I only stopped by for a minute to see how you were both... adjusting."

"Very well, I think," I told him. "I hope you're getting on at the Ministry without me." Sirius got up and moved behind me.

"It would be easier if you were there," he admitted, and I nodded regretfully. "There have been a lot of inquiries as to your well-being, Mr. Black," he addressed my guest, "and not all of them unfriendly. I merely told them you were staying somewhere safe." He paused, gesturing to the transfigured man. "With you as such, I don't see any reason why you couldn't make the rounds with a few old friends if you feel up to it. It wouldn't be so unexpected for a witch to be out with her dog. Just stay close to Miss Lovegood, we don't need you getting picked up as a stray."

He gave me that warm smile, although the expression was tinged with just a little regret. "I must get back to work. I'll be in touch." He opened the door and then he was gone.

I turned away and bumped my nose into Sirius' chest. "Oh!" I exclaimed, rubbing my nose. "I wasn't expecting that." He was a man again. His hands came out and gripped my shoulders to steady me.

"I wanted to explain. The dog thing, I mean."

I smiled up at him. "You were afraid of saying something unkind again," I offered.

"Yes." He looked down at me for a moment. "You're quite... perceptive. I also..." he trailed off and raked his hands through his thick black hair, so similar to the fur he wore when he changed. I wondered if it was as soft. I'd have to ask him. "Why don't you have many friends who know where you live, Luna?" he asked suddenly. "You're very kind."

"I rather think it's because I don't act as people expect me to," I replied. "I see a lot and I speak to what I see and I'm afraid I don't have a lot of patience for the social games people play in order to avoid meaningful interaction."

He chuckled. "It's hard to imagine you lacking patience, Luna."

"It's true nevertheless, Mr. Black."

"Sirius," he corrected me gently.

My hand was reaching out as if on it's own and I stopped myself. "May I touch your hair?" I asked.

"My hair? Yes," he answered, his voice full of questions.

"Your fur is so soft when you're a dog and I wanted to see if your hair is as well." I lifted a lock of his hair between my finger and thumb. "It is," I admired. I pulled my hand back down to my side. He seemed to realize that his hands were still on my shoulders and he dropped them as well.

"I expect... I expect you'd better tell me." I could see the clouds moving back into his clear eyes, a tempest of worry. "I do want to get out and see friends and I suppose I need to know which friends I shouldn't expect to see."

I stared into his eyes for a moment. "Would you like to change into a dog again, first?" I offered.

He was quite taken aback by my question. "Why?"

"Because you're a lot more free with touching when you're a dog, and I think you're going to need it to get through this."

A sad sort of smile twisted up his lips. "You really don't miss much, do you." It wasn't a question, so I didn't answer. He held out his hand and I slipped mine into it. We sat down once again on the couch.

"I don't know who all of your friends were, but I can tell you about the Order members." I saw him nod. "Fred Weasley." He nodded again, sadly this time; I could see the mantle of mourning settling over his shoulders. "Alastor Moody."

"He was a good man," Sirius said. "We butted heads, but he was... Who else?"

"Professor and Mrs. Lupin as well. Tonks, Harry said she liked to be called Tonks."

"Moony," he whispered, filling the room with anguish. His hand tightened on mine, though not to the level of leaving bruises as it had the previous day. His eyes closed and I could see the tears trickling silently down his face. I shifted over, closing the distance between us, and rested my head on his shoulder. "They got married?" he asked after a while, voice broken by despair.

"Yes," I replied quietly. "They have a son, Teddy. He lives with Mrs. Tonks, but he spends a lot of time at The Burrow. He's a lovely little boy."

"I'd like to meet him," Sirius whispered. "But not today."

"I can send a letter, if you'd like. He'll probably be there for Sunday dinner. I have an open invitation to Sunday dinner, I can ask Molly if I can bring a friend."

He nodded silently, wrapped in his grief.

"Would you like to go and stand on the shore?" I asked. "I find it's helpful. The ocean washes over your feet and takes some of the sadness when it goes back out."

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course." We stood and walked hand in hand out my open back door, down the beach to where the water was licking at the sand. I felt the rush of cold water over my bare feet and the pull as it drained back out.

"Who else?" he asked. He was beside me, the bottoms of his brown trousers dark with the salt water of the ocean.

"Professor Snape, although I remember Harry saying that you two didn't get on at all. And Dumbledore."

The sounds of his anguish were carried away on the rushing water. I went to him, slipping my arm around his waist and he pulled me close against him, his arm behind my shoulders and his face buried in my hair. I could feel his chest shaking as he poured out his sadness into the salty ocean.

He stilled after a time. The tide was coming in and the chill water was up around our ankles, surging to our knees with each wave. He dropped his arm from my back, though kept ahold of my hand. "I'm sorry," he told me, straightening, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the surf. "I got rather familiar." His eyes were red and swollen, and bits of my long hair clung to the dampness of his cheeks.

"It's alright," I said. "Touch helps the soul, and your soul has been through rather a lot."

He gave me a sad smile. "I can see why Kingsley misses you at the Ministry, Luna. What day is it today?"

"Thursday."

"Why don't you send that letter to Molly and I'll see about lunch." He glanced down at his sodden trousers. "After I change."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! itsMrsBlack- Thank you! :D He changed back, just after Kingsley Shacklebolt left.**

The next few days passed by with the rising and setting of the sun. I sent Bunny with a letter to The Burrow and got a reply straight away, assuring us that my friend was welcome and Teddy would be there with Harry and Ginny. Sirius wrote to Harry and received a letter back. Harry and Ginny came to visit Friday night and Harry and Sirius went out for a walk along the sand while Ginny and I caught up in the house. They'd left in a cloud of uncertainty and came back in with a renewed sense of family and Sirius wore one of his all-too-rare broad grins, though it was still touched with sadness.

It made my heart a little happier to see him that way. There were promises to see each other again at Sunday dinner before Harry and Ginny left quite late that night.

We spent a lot of time standing, and sometimes sitting, in the ocean. He talked a lot about Professor Lupin, Sirius called him Moony. I stayed with him and listened. I laughed at the funny parts and resolutely held his hands through the teary parts. He slept fitfully, and I would find him outside, wrapped in a blanket, staring up at the moon. I would sit with him and he would huddle under the blanket with me, both of us silent.

Sunday came the way it does every week and there was an expectant sort of tension in the air almost thick enough to touch, as soon as Sirius was up. He'd settled quite comfortably in my guest room. The morning seemed to slide slowly past like a snail and the second I was done tidying after lunch, I suggested, "We could go now. I'm sure everyone is eager to see you."

Before my eyes, his shifted and changed until he was the large black dog. His tail was wagging furiously and I had to laugh at his excitement. He padded over to the front door and stared at it expectantly. I tucked my wand behind my ear and followed him, opening and closing the door to admit us into the front garden. Just past my gate I knelt down and took ahold of his front leg and apparated us.

We twisted and compacted and came with a pop to just before the Weasley's gate. I opened it for us and went up to the door. Before I could knock, the door flew open and Molly stood there in her apron. She held out her arms to me and I went into them and received an affectionate kiss on my cheek. I'd stayed with her for a time after her son had died and she looked on me as a part of the family. "Well, then," she said, pulling away, her eyes flicking around. "Where is he?"

I gestured behind me to my furry companion and tears sprang into her eyes as she caught sight of him. Her smile lit up the garden like a reflection of the sun. "Come in," she ushered us, closing the door firmly once we were all inside. As soon as Sirius had regained his shape as a man, Molly wrapped her arms around him tightly. I could see her shoulders shaking as she spilled her emotion against his chest.

"There now, Molly," he said gently.

"Yes," she said, her voice thick with tears. "Yes, alright." She pulled away and lifted a corner of the apron to dab at her face. "I'm making a proper feast for you tonight," she said and went quite quickly back to the stove. "Go on in and sit down, I'll have tea ready in a little bit," her voice floated over her shoulder, still full with tears.

Sirius found my hand and we moved through the kitchen to the living room. George and Ron were there, playing wizard's chess in a distracted fashion, and Hermione was pretending to read a book. As soon as we came into view, they were all up and coming at us. Hermione launched herself into Sirius' chest for a hug and Ron hovered just behind her. Sirius let go of me and wrapped both of his arms around the other witch.

I turned my cheek up for George to kiss. I'd stayed with him for a time too, in his flat above his shop, after Molly's pain had eased enough to cope by herself. "It's good to see you again," he said to me.

"You too, George. How are you sleeping?"

"Ok some nights." They'd shared a room for 20 years and he was still adjusting to the lack of his brother's presence. It's always harder at night when you're alone by yourself and everything is quiet and still except your mind.

Sirius was out of Hermione's grasp and was shaking Ron's hand in that awkward sort of way men have when they'd rather just hug.

"Dad's been called in to work today but he should be back for dinner," George told me. "The rest will be along later, Fleur was very insistent that Victoire have her proper nap in her proper bed like she's supposed to." He sounded like he was repeating something he'd been told. "And Harry's got to wait until Mrs. Tonks releases Teddy. How are you holding up with all of this?"

"Rather well, I think," I replied, head tilted slightly to the side as I recalled the past few days.

George laughed. "You are a saint, Luna." He turned to Sirius and they shook as well.

I looked to Hermione. "I'm sorry I haven't been back in to see you at work, I've been... Well, not at work at all, I'm afraid."

She laughed as well, tears still shining in her brown eyes. "Shacklebolt explained that you'd be away from work for a while, taking care of Ministry matters."

"I'm a Ministry matter, am I?" Sirius asked, catching my hand again. There was a hint of familiar teasing in his voice.

"Is Luna taking care of you?" she returned sharply. Hermione didn't like being teased.

"I'd say so," he replied seriously and Hermione's hair puffed up a little like it did when she was flustered. I expect it had something to do with the way she pushed at it without knowing she was doing so. Like the way Kingsley's hat traveled across his head.

We all sat down to chat. I tucked my feet under me and sat on the couch, leaned up against Sirius' left arm. Molly came in soon with a tea tray. She caught sight of me sitting on the couch with my houseguest and her forehead puckered in a frown. "Luna," she said. "May I borrow you for a moment?"

"Please return her when you're done," Sirius said in that teasing way and the creases on Molly's face deepened just a little.

I pulled away from him and stood, following her back into the kitchen. She took up her wand and cast a quick, _muffliato_. I hadn't known she'd started approving of the charm. She turned to me, concern in her bright brown eyes. "Luna, I know you spent your formative years without a mother and I don't know if your father ever talked to you about wizards."

"Oh, quite a lot," I enthused. "We spent a lot of time discussing the merits of the Peverell brothers especially, but he covered-"

"That's not what I mean, dear," she interrupted. I watched her sieve through her mind and discard quite a few thoughts. "I mean men. Sirius Black had a bit of a reputation."

I peered at her for a moment, blinking slowly. I hadn't really known Sirius before he'd fallen, only that a lot of the people that I esteemed, held him in high regard. "Yes," I replied slowly. "Although it's rather apparent that he isn't Stubby Boardman."

There was a flush of color high on Molly's cheeks. "No, dear, I mean he was a ladies' man. A- A _playboy_." She spat the word out as though it were a mouthful of cold leek soup.

"Was he?" I asked with some interest. "Then it's a good thing there are no ladies around my house."

"He hasn't... behaved improperly, has he?" It was clear that this conversation was making her very uncomfortable, but she was determined to see it through to the end.

"No, he's very well-mannered. I understand that he comes from one of the older wizarding families."

Molly compressed her lips between her teeth for a moment. "It's not customary to be all tucked up on a couch with a man you hardly know, is it, dear?" she asked pointedly.

"I suppose not," I answered. "Oh!" I exclaimed suddenly. "He did apologize a few days ago about being rather familiar. Is that what you're talking about?"

"Yes, dear. How, exactly, rather familiar?" I could see the temper rising up under her red hair and her tone had become quite sharp.

"He held onto me for a while in the ocean. It's very calming, standing in the ocean. The water takes some of the pain away." I paused for a moment. "His heart is full of sadness."

Her face relaxed a little. "I'll just have to talk to the Minister. It's not proper, a man like that staying alone with a young woman."

"There's really nowhere else for him to be, Molly. That's one of the benefits of being me, I don't attract a whole lot of lingering attention."

She clucked her tongue and gave me the look I usually get when I inadvertently remind my friends that general wizarding society doesn't look on me too favorably. She removed the charm. "Go on, then, dear. Just... watch yourself."

I wandered back into the living room. I loved the feeling of the worn carpet under my bare feet, it always felt like home and happiness.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked as I seated myself again beside Sirius.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you mind your business," Molly snapped from the kitchen and Ron's ears colored up.

I could see the change in my houseguest when I sat beside him. There was a tension that left his shoulders and a small cloud lifted from his eyes. I gave him a reassuring smile and took one of his hands between my own.

Bill and Fleur arrived midafternoon along with their tiny baby. Victoire was only three months old and she was absolutely perfect. She was rather taken with my hair and she would sit and stare at my face, gripping my long hair in her tiny fists. I like babies. They haven't gained any prejudices yet, they simply are.

Ginny and Harry turned up closer to dinner with Teddy. He was a lovely little boy. He resembled his father quite strongly, of course with his mother's ever-changing hair. Red, usually, when he was at The Burrow. Blond like mine when he crawled up into my lap to pet my hair. "Pwetty," he pronounced as his fingers raked through my long hair.

Sirius watched him, absolutely still and staring, gray eyes wide. "Teddy," I told the boy gently. I could feel everyone's eyes on us. "Teddy, this is my friend Sirius. He was a good friend to your mum and dad."

"I see you," the boy announced boldly. He was just a month past two.

"That's right," Harry encouraged him. "You've seen him in pictures, haven't you? Sirius is your cousin."

Teddy crawled onto my houseguest's lap and hugged him, his hair becoming black as he buried his face in Sirius' shoulder. Sirius' free hand reached up and gently patted the the boy on the back. He had no words and a silent tear slipped down his eyes.

The boy sat back. "Sad," he said, pointing to the falling salt water.

"You look just like your dad," Sirius said, keeping his voice low so the emotion wouldn't leap out of his throat. "I cared for him very much."

The afternoon progressed as it does when the sun moves across the sky. We had dinner, Molly laid out a feast. Mr. Weasley came home partway through dinner and he greeted Sirius like an old friend. After dinner found Sirius giving rides on his back to Teddy while the little boy shrieked with delighted laughter. Harry, Ginny and Teddy left, it was Teddy's bedtime.

Sirius and I left shortly after, with kisses and hugs and promises to visit again soon. We walked around to the back of my house in the setting sun and stood in the ocean.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! :heart:**

"We could go to Hogwarts," I suggested, looking up from my book to where Sirius was restlessly pacing around my kitchen table. "Professor McGonagall is Headmistress now." Kingsley had suggested it on his last visit to check on us. He was making progress, he'd said, and suggested we might want to go along to visit Hogwarts. He'd even given us the password to the Headmistress's office.

He gestured outside where the clouds were emptying themselves against the ground. "It's raining." His eyes were flashing with impatience as he snapped at me, still circling the table.

"It is," I agreed. "Are you likely to melt?"

He looked at me for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. I'd meant the question seriously, but he apparently thought it was rather funny. "And how are we to get there?" He was more curious than cross now, and I was glad to see it.

"We can apparate into the Shrieking Shack," I replied. "We can take the passage right onto the grounds."

"Won't people wonder why a former student is coming back to the grounds?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I replied. "The only people about in the summer are Headmistress McGonagall and the caretaker, and he's never concerned himself to wonder my motives for going where I do, so long as I wasn't breaking any rules."

"I would like to see Minnie again," he said, a note of teasing entering his voice. He stopped pacing and in a moment, became the black dog. I tucked my wand behind my ear and we left my little house.

The Shrieking Shack had not changed much since I'd last seen it. A little dustier, a little less structurally sound than it had been, but mostly the same. We left it and walked along the passageway. Sirius' tail was wagging, it had been raining for the better part of two days and I think he had been starting to feel a little cooped up.

I pressed the knot in the trunk as we emerged. It was raining at Hogwarts as well, and quite a bit colder than Cornwall. My bare feet slipped a little in the wet grass, but I righted myself before I fell to the ground. Sirius trotted along beside me as we headed quickly inside. He shook briskly as soon as we were out of the weather and I had to laugh. "I only wish I could do the same with my hair," I said and I attempted to wring the heavy mass out as best as I could.

The corridors were empty of students, being summer. Nevertheless, he stayed as a dog. Mr. Filch didn't need to know that Sirius was back. We walked in silence until the Headmistress met us in the hallway, the portraits had more than likely told her we were there. "Miss Lovegood," she greeted me and cast a look at my companion. "Why don't we go up to my office?"

The three of us walked up to the staircase to her office and up we went, Sirius preceding us with his tail wagging a little.

As soon as we were up, she turned on my houseguest. "Mr. Black," she greeted him. "There never were such a pair of troublemakers in my school," she said, but I could hear the warmth in her voice as it slipped past her small smile.

He became a man again and gave her one of his broad grins. "Minnie, you're looking just as ravishing as ever."

"Oh, go on," she waved him away, but I could see the sparkle in her eyes. "I trust he's not being a bother, Miss Lovegood?"

"Not at all," I replied with a soft smile. "I hope we're not disturbing you, ma'am."

"No. Please, have a seat." We sat in the chairs opposite her desk and she sank down behind it. "I am aware of the efforts Minister Shacklebolt is undertaking on your behalf, Mr. Black. To that end, I asked him to suggest a visit for a reason."

Sirius looked at me for a moment, his eyes searching mine, before turning his attention back to the Headmistress. "What's that?"

"I would like to offer you a position here at Hogwarts."

"A professor? Me?" His hand came toward me as it did when he felt out-of-sorts, and I slipped mine into it. He reached for me less and less as the days passed, but evidently this unsettled him rather a lot.

"Yes, Mr. Black," she replied. "I have need of a talented Transfiguration professor and I believe you are in need of an occupation."

"Why me?" His smooth voice was at once curious and hopeful and I squeezed his hand, offering him silent reassurance.

"Why you, indeed. Why not? You excel at it. When did you first become an animagus?" Her green eyes peered sharply through her spectacles at him.

"15," he answered.

"Indeed."

The silence stretched between them like a pull of taffy until the whole room felt weighted down by it. He looked over at me again, his gray eyes seeking answers. "What do you think, Luna?"

"It would be a good fit for you," I replied slowly. "And it would give you a measure of security, socially speaking."

"I'm made to understand I would be bringing a certain amount of trouble to the school," he told her apologetically.

"No more than some have in the past," she replied. "I don't need an answer this very moment, but the sooner the better. It's been somewhat difficult keeping staff these past couple of years." Her eyes flitted quickly between us like a hummingbird in flight. "While we do have some suites suited for couples, we do _strongly prefer_ that those inhabiting them be married."

I stared at her for a moment, head tilted slightly to the side. "I don't recall ever meeting the spouse of any of my professors. Did any of them have spouses?"

Sirius cleared his throat. "She means us, Luna."

I turned my head to look at him. "Oh! Are we a couple? I wasn't aware-"

She cut me off. "I'm sorry, I..." She trailed off and cleared her throat, looking over her glasses at the two of us. "Well, then. Send an owl when you've made your decision, Mr. Black." It sounded very much like she was dismissing us.

We stood up and Sirius became the dog again. He preceded me back down the narrow, twisting stairs into the corridors of Hogwarts. "I think it would be a good idea," I told him as we walked along. "One of the largest struggles they're having is the fulfillment of your will. I'm not sure how much, if any, of your property you'll get back. You may need a job. Oh!" I exclaimed suddenly. "Would you like to visit Buckbeak while we're here?"

He gave a happy bark and so I turned toward Hagrid's hut. I was soaked through and shivering just a little by the time I knocked on the large door. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, Hagrid was home. "Just a minute," he called from inside and then the door opened. "Miss Lovegood," he greeted when he came to the door. "What are yeh doin' here?"

"I have a friend who would like to see Buckbeak," I replied politely, gesturing to Sirius. I didn't think much of Hagrid as a teacher, but he was very supportive to Harry and I respected him deeply for that.

Hagrid leaned forward and peered down at my canine companion. "A friend?" It took a moment, and then comprehension lit up his eyes. "Oh, right. Right, right, right. Come along, now." He came down the steps and walked past us, heading toward the forest. I followed behind him, Sirius at my side with a happily wagging tail. "It's good to see yeh again," he told Sirius. "I'm glad yer not dead anymore." Sirius didn't answer, of course, and we walked.

"Buckbeak," Hagrid called as we came to the treeline. "Someone to see you. Buckbeak!"

There was a thundering of hooves and then Sirius took off like there was a fire under him. The black shape streaked toward the large hippogriff coming from between the trees and there was happy barking and birdcalls. I had to smile.

"Well. I'll leave yeh to it, then, " Hagrid said and turned to go back to his hut.

I watched them bounce around and nuzzle each other for a while as the rain came down, happy to see each other. I didn't know how much Buckbeak had understood about Sirius' death, if anything, but it was clear that they were both happy to be reunited. At last, Sirius barked and came trotting back to me, panting and wagging his tail. He looked up at me for a moment, and then started walking out toward the Whomping Willow.

We journeyed to my house in silence, until we apparated with a pop to my front gate. I opened the door for him and he stepped inside, shaking himself vigorously before changing back into himself.

"Luna, aren't you coming in?"

"No," I replied quietly. "I love summer rain. I'll be along in a while." I left my front garden and walked around to the back to have a seat in the sand. It was a little warmer here than it had been at Hogwarts and I stopped shivering quite so much.

I heard him walking through the sand for a few seconds before he sat down beside me. "It's cleansing," I told him. "All of the things stopping up your mind just flow right down, into the sand."

His finger brushed my cheek; he tucked a bit of hair behind my right ear. "What's stopping up your mind?"

"You are," I replied softly. "We're meeting with the Ministry tomorrow and I'm afraid it's going to be rather lonely without you here."

His gray eyes sharpened as he looked at me. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

"I thought you would want to find a home for yourself. I love my little house, but pink and yellow don't really seem to be your colors."

He laughed at that. "It's true. However, I may not be in a position where I can find a home for myself just yet." His finger came under my chin and gently tipped my face up to look at him. "Nor am I sure I want to, just yet. Do you want me to leave?"

"No."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for the awesome reviews! Random notes- whenever I picture Kingsley Shacklebolt, I see Morpheus from The Matrix, so this is kinda influenced by that. Updated Sirius' middle name, thanks itsMrsBlack!  
**

Kingsley was sitting on the edge of his desk, arms folded over his chest. His hat was set crookedly over his left eye. I placed a hand on his shoulder and his hand came over mine, squeezing it briefly. "Mr. Black," he addressed my agitated houseguest, "this is not a trial."

Nine days after we had left this office together, Sirius and I were back. He was pacing before the fireplace. I'd been put back on the floo network that morning and we'd flooed directly into the Minister's office.

"You'll forgive me, Minister, for not being reassured." Sarcasm leaped out of his mouth and paced angrily around the room with him. "The last time I was there, I was condemned for a crime I didn't commit. Have you been to Azkaban, Minister? Before the removal of the dementors, I mean."

I slipped from Kingsley and put myself directly in Sirius' path. I reached down and took his hands, my face lifting up to meet his stormy gray eyes. He stilled, looking down at me, his hands clutching mine. When he spoke, his voice was a little softer. "I don't care about the money, Minister. All I want is a chance to walk around London, to visit my godson without worrying about someone catching me."

"And that has been noted, Mr. Black. All of that will be cleared up today. You will be able to walk out of the Ministry as a free man." This wasn't the first time Kingsley had made him that promise, and the mantle of Kingsley's patience was wearing thin.

The door to Kingsley's office opened. "They're ready down there," the minister's secretary said as his head poked in.

I released Sirius' hands and took his arm. We left Kingsley's office, the Minister close behind us. "There aren't even any aurors following us," I observed. We took the lift and then the stairs and then we were at the tenth floor. I'd never been down there before, the floor was quite cold under my feet. We were in the first courtroom on the right. Harry was in there, and five members of the Council of Magical Law. Not a full session, it wasn't warranted for this, but enough to fulfill the requirements for a hearing.

"Ah, there you are," one of them said. "Mr. Black, this is just the formal hearing to sort out all of your criminal charges and to resolve the death-related property issues. Please have a seat."

He sat down in the center of the room and I stood beside him, my grip shifted to his hand again. Kingsley was leaning against the wall, arms folded. He was merely there to observe, he'd said.

My toes curled against the chill of the floor.

"Let the Council come to order. This day of 30 June, 2000, Sirius Orion Black stands before the Council, having previously been tried and convicted in the murder of twelve unnamed muggles and Peter Pettigrew, and the betrayal of Lily and James Potter to Lord Voldemort." The witch leading the Council spoke quickly and without inflection as though this was all a formality that she wanted to get through this as fast as possible. "The Council today finds Sirius Orion Black innocent of all charges."

His hand tightened in mine and I could see the broad grin spreading across his face.

"As to the matter of the property willed to Harry James Potter on the death of Sirius Orion Black, Mr. Potter has..." She paused here, looking over her glasses at Harry. "...has been rather insistent that the house at number twelve Grimmauld Place and the account at Gringotts be restored to their former owner, despite Mr. Black having no legal claim on them."

"You didn't need to do that, Harry," Sirius said, curious wonder lighting up his voice.

"It's the right thing to do," Harry replied. "The house has been shut up-"

"If it pleases the assembled, the Council would like to finish these proceedings." She gave both men a quelling look until they fell silent again. "Thank you. In the matter of being an unregistered animagus," Sirius gripped my hand rather tighter here, "the Council is willing to defer the sentence to time previously served, conditional to Mr. Black registering as an animagus at the close of this hearing." The tension left his shoulders abruptly and the grin grew even stronger. "The Council would also like to recognize Sirius Orion Black as officially alive, despite having fallen through the portal in the Death Chamber on the day of 18 June, 1996." She looked down at Sirius again. "This concludes the hearing of Sirius Orion Black. You're a free man, Mr. Black."

His face lit up with happiness, all of the clouds gone from his clear gray eyes. He stood up, laughing delightedly. "I'm free, Luna. I'm free!" He kissed me suddenly, his lips swooping down onto mine for just a moment before he turned away and threw his arms around Harry.

I had to smile as I watched them hug. The Council members got up and filed out and Kingsley met my eyes. He was relieved to be done with this business. The hat had resettled over his right eye. I knew he'd done a lot to speed things along for Sirius and I was grateful to him for it.

Harry was handing Sirius keys, one for the bank vault and one for the row house. They were talking about the house.

I drifted over to Kingsley. "Thank you," I told him. "You've done a lot for him."

"The Ministry did him a great disservice for many years and now we've finally put it to rights. Black is a good man, it's the very least I could do."

"What shall I do now?" I asked him and there was a flash of sorrow in his eyes, gone in an instant.

"I think he'll still have need of you for a while yet, Luna."

"But what about my work here?" I tilted my head slightly to the side as I asked the question.

He was silent for a moment as though considering what to say. "You work for the Ministry, and the Ministry still owes that man a lot. 12 years in Azkaban, subjected to dementors for an innocent man..." He trailed off, shaking his head. His regret was so thick it was almost like a second set of robes. "Your continued help for him is one way we can make reparations for what we did."

"It is hard to be idle, Kingsley."

"You are quite welcome to come in as you wish, but I have a strong feeling that your life will become significantly less idle, now."

Harry and Sirius came over, Sirius had his arm draped companionably across Harry's shoulders. "Thank you, Minister," he said, offering Kingsley his hand. They shook.

"You will walk out of here a free man. Mr. Potter, I believe you have training to get back to."

"Yes, sir," Harry agreed. "We'll floo in tonight," he told Sirius.

"Not tonight, son. I want to walk the streets of London until my feet fall off. Tomorrow, though, tomorrow I want to take everyone out for dinner to celebrate. Can you use the famous Potter name to get us a reservation?"

Harry laughed. "I'll see what I can do. I'll spread the word." He clapped his godfather on the back and left.

Kingsley pushed away from the wall. "There are two more things that need attending before I can let you loose on London, Black. The Fidelius Charm needs to be revoked, and there's the matter of your Animagus registration."

"Yes," Sirius seemed impatient. "Right. Let's get on with it, shall we?"

We all flooed to my house. Kingsley produced the paperwork from his robe and Sirius quickly went through it. Kingsley went outside to lift the Fidelius Charm and then he was gone, back to the Ministry, taking the signed papers with him.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you all for continuing to read this, and special thanks to those who leave me comments. :heart:**

"Would you like to come for a walk with me?" Sirius asked, energy barely contained as he perched on the edge of my couch. "You may want shoes, London isn't exactly the cleanest city."

I looked around for my shoes. I had a pair of rainbow-striped shoes somewhere, but where had they gone? I hadn't worn them in months. I took the wand from behind my ear. "_Accio_ _shoes_." They flew out from high in a kitchen cupboard and into my waiting hand. I put them on and tied them up. "Are you sure you don't mind being seen with me?" In addition to the shoes, I was wearing a light purple and yellow dress.

"Luna, you're not the one who's been a convicted criminal for the past, what... almost 19 years- and dead for for the last four. I should be asking you that question." He stood and gestured to my fireplace. "Shall we?"

"Where to?" I asked, taking the dish of floo powder off the mantle.

He took a handful and threw it beneath him. "Diagon Alley," he said, and then he was gone.

I took my own handful of powder and repeated the action. When I landed at our destination, I saw Sirius' hand extended to help me out of the fireplace. I took his hand and stepped out and he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm. I had to smile, I always loved visiting Diagon Alley, and his enthusiasm was rather contagious.

We went outside into the morning sunshine and we walked. It was lovely to be out with him, he was so overjoyed to be out in the streets that he was almost vibrating. "It's changed a little since the last time I was here," he said to me.

"Yes. George has his shop here now, and my dad has his office. It's a pleasant place to be."

"Luna," he stated quietly. "They're pointing and whispering."

"Yes," I replied gently. "I never pay it any mind. People will do as they are wont to do, and it is a reflection on who they are, not who we are."

He reached over and patted my hand. "You are wise beyond your years." He regarded me for a moment. "I have a question for you and..." I waited, silently. He would ask when he was ready. "Are you involved with Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

"Involved how? He's a dear friend of mine."

He didn't say anything else, and then we came to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and I opened the door.

"Luna!" George shouted from behind the counter. "And Sirius, come in!" He was wearing his magenta robe. We walked through the aisles of the store to the counter. "Have you seen today's paper?"

There was a copy of the Daily Prophet sitting on the counter. I looked at it, the headline on the front read, "SIRIUS BLACK: ALIVE AND INNOCENT." I smiled and turned my head to look up at Sirius.

He unfolded the paper for a better look. There we were on the front as we were when we'd been in the Ministry that morning. I could see the hope in his eyes even in the picture as we ducked out of Kingsley's office to walk down to the lifts.

"It's official now, it's in the paper," George said. "Everyone will see that, mate."

Sirius gave a broad grin. "I am going to have to buy a paper," he announced. "I want to frame that and hang it on the wall." He patted his trouser pocket. "I don't have a knut to my name. I guess we'll have to visit Gringotts." He turned us back toward the door and then hesitated. "George, I'm taking everyone out for dinner tomorrow. I'd love if you were there."

"Harry sent an owl. I'll be there, I plan on helping Ron make a big dent in your bank vault."

With that, we went back out into the street. Gringotts loomed at the end of the alley. "I'm going to take the position at Hogwarts," he told me as we walked along. "Thanks to Harry I don't strictly need to, but I need to do something constructive with my life. It feels like forever since I did... anything." We passed by Ollivanders. "A wand," he said as we went by. "I'll need a wand."

Before too long, Sirius had money again, and a paper, and a brand new wand. Ollivander greeted me as though I was his own blood. I always visited with him whenever I was in Diagon Alley. After, when we were back out in the sunshine, Sirius was looking at me in a peculiar way. I'd never seen that look on his face before. I hadn't long to wonder at it before he said, "Is there any of the wizarding world that is not your dear friend?"

I stopped walking and peered up at him, trying to make sense of this new side of him I was seeing. "Yes, have you forgotten the way people have been talking and staring?" I asked gently. When he didn't answer, I continued. "Mr. Ollivander and I were imprisoned together during the war. That has a way of bringing people closer together."

He had stopped as well and now stood facing me. "You were at Azkaban?" he asked fiercely, anger filling his eyes with dark clouds.

"Oh no, in the Malfoy's basement. My dad had printed some things that they didn't like and they snatched me up. Mr. Ollivander was already there when I arrived and he wasn't doing so well."

He stared at down at me for just a moment before I was rather abruptly knocked off my feet and fell. The was a sharp pain in my ankle and then I collided with the cobblestones in rather a painful fashion. I whimpered, I couldn't help it. My hip had taken most of the impact, and then my right elbow. My ankle felt as though it was on fire.

"Luna!" Sirius knelt down next to me. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I am not alright," I whispered, tears springing to my eyes. "I'm rather hurt, Sirius."

"What hurts?"

"I am a great collection of hurts just now, but my ankle is the worst."

He looked it over and the expression on his face was grim. "It's broken, Luna. I'm going to take you home." He reached out and easily lifted me into his arms and then I felt the twisting, pulling sensation behind my navel as he apparated us to just in front of my gate. "Here we are." He strode forward, carrying me as though I weighed nothing. The door opened and he set me lightly on the yellow couch. He took off the one shoe and pointed his new wand at it. "_Ferula!_"

I whimpered again as the bone reset itself back to the way it was supposed to be and bandages wrapped themselves tightly around my injured limb. "Thank you," I told him. "I'm sorry I've ruined your plans for the day. You could still go about without me."

He wore a look of concentration and brandished his wand at me again, and then there was a flash of hot and then cold and then my hip and elbow felt a lot better. "No, I'm more worried about you," he told me, and I could see the worry sitting on his face. "London will still be there later. What happened, Luna?"

"I'm not sure," I replied. "I felt as though I was pushed and then I met the cobblestones quite close up."

"There was no one around us." His face set into grim lines. "I'm going to send Shacklebolt a message, you just stay there."

I eased myself up into a sitting position and waited.

He came back a few minutes later with a cup of tea. He handed the tea to me and then crossed to toss some floo powder in the fireplace, and said, "Office of Lynx." The flames flared green and he stuck his head into them. I could hear him talking, but I couldn't make out the words.

After a few moments, he pulled his head out and turned back to me and frowned. "Your foot should be elevated." He went and got some pillows and arranged me until I was reclined on the couch, propped up at the head and the foot by pillows.

He crouched down beside the couch, close to my head. He looked at me for a moment, the weight in his eyes indicating that he wanted to say something. I waited. "I kissed you this morning," he said, watching me intently.

"I had noticed," I said and took a sip of tea. "It was nice."

"I had... a reputation."

"That's just what Molly said," I informed him. "Something about you being a ladies' man. There aren't any ladies here though, just me."

A wry grin covered his face. "I'll just bet she did. I'm... I'm quite a bit older than you, aren't I?"

"A bit. I turned 19 in March."

"Does that bother you?"

"Why should it?" I returned.

He frowned and raked his hands through his black hair. "I'm making a bloody mess of this, aren't I? I'm usually a lot more charming and confident around women." He took a deep breath. "I had intended on taking you out tonight, just you. A date, I suppose."

"Oh dear," I said. "And what were we to have done on this date?"

"I was going to take you for dinner and a stroll along the Thames to see it all lit up at night. And," here he flashed me one of his broad grins and there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "I would have tried to kiss you again."

"Well," I replied quietly. "We do need to eat, although I think it's lunchtime right now. Dinner will follow later, of course. I'm afraid I won't be able to do any strolling today, but there is a lovely view of the stars at night just outside my back door and I could get out there if you'd just help me. As I broke my ankle, not my mouth, I should still be alright for you to try and kiss me."

His expression brightened as he took in what I was saying. "You are-"

An urgent knock at the door interrupted him. He went to it and opened it to reveal Harry and Gawain Robards, the brown-haired Head of the Auror Office. He was a slight man, just a little shorter than Harry, with a long, pointed nose. He decidedly didn't want to be in my house. He didn't think much of me. Kingsley must have specifically sent him.

"What's this all about, Miss Lovegood," he asked briskly, stepping inside and completely ignoring Sirius.

"She was attacked with magic," Sirius replied. I could see the angry clouds start to gather in his eyes. "We were in the middle of the street, there was no one close enough to touch her."

"You were injured?" he snapped, not acknowledging my houseguest.

I could see the thunder. "Sirius, can you start lunch?" I asked him quietly. He swallowed visibly and straightened to pass into the kitchen, pausing to glare at the back of Auror Robards' head before going into the other room. "I was. It felt like I was pushed and my ankle broke and then I collided with the cobblestones."

"This wasn't one of those things you imagine?" he demanded and I heard a plate hit the kitchen counter rather loudly. "Potter, what do you think?"

Harry looked in at me. "A knockback jinx, sir," he replied.

Auror Robards grunted. "A knockback jinx, quite right. You probably just got in the way of a harmless prank, you never do seem to watch where you're going." He sniffed. "Still, I suppose the Minister will want to hear about this. There are benefits to being his-" There was a crash from the kitchen as one of my plates rather abruptly met the floor, and Harry's face was an apology as he hurried Auror Robards from my house.

Sirius was still gathering lunch together rather aggressively in the kitchen. From the sounds of things, he was in danger of breaking something else, but then he'd set up a broken leg and broken dishes were much simpler to mend.

He brought a plate of sandwiches made of cheese and anger and set it hard enough on the table beside the couch that the sandwiches jumped a little. He turned his scowl to me when I picked one up to eat. "How can you eat after what that man said?"

"I'm hungry," I replied quietly.

"He all but called you a whore!" Sirius exploded.

"He might have said, 'assistant,'" I corrected evenly.

"Do you really believe that?"

"With a definitive lack of proof, there are an infinite number of possibilities." I took a small bite of my sandwich.

"With the way he treated you? With the way all those people stood and stared at you on the street, not coming to help you? Why don't you ever get mad? Yell?" He was yelling now. His hair was flying out from his face like Hermione's did, only there was a lot less of it and it was quite a bit darker.

"Is it helping you?"

He looked taken aback and there was a break in the clouds in his eyes. "No it's not!" he shouted. He whirled from me and left the house, letting the back door slam behind him. I finished the sandwich and picked up another one.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews, I get all happy when I see them!**

I was reading the latest Quibbler when the back door opened some time later and Sirius came in, much calmer. I heard the unmistakable sound of the plate joining itself back together and then it was set gently on the counter. He came in to the living room and sat down on the other couch, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He looked at me for a moment and I could see the shame in the way his eyes kept flitting away from mine.

"I'm sorry, Luna. I've always had a bit of a temper."

"It's alright," I assured him softly. "I'm used to being me. You're not the only one with a reputation, Sirius."

"What kind of reputation, Luna?" he asked, eyes searching mine.

"After the war, I started to realize that my dad lives in a world partly of his own making- it helped him adjust when my mum died. That reflects on me, of course. I'm 'crazy Xeno's daughter,' and so I am a person of curiosity rather than concern." I held no bitterness about it, it simply was as it was. I tilted my head slightly to the side. "Then again, I've told you that I have rather limited patience for meaningless interaction, and I don't act as people expect me to. Even you, today, you became quite cross with me because I wasn't angry at someone else's self-imposed limitations."

I could see the denial, lurking just below the surface. But he swallowed it and actually thought about what I'd said. "You're right," he acquiesced slowly. "And for that I am deeply sorry."

I smiled and held my hand out to him. "It's alright."

He came off the couch and over to me, taking my hand and pressing it to his lips for a moment. "I'm going to make it up to you. I'm cooking you dinner tonight."

While he was out, he'd been down to the grocery in Tinworth and he spent much of the remainder of the afternoon in the kitchen, cooking and occasionally cursing. He brought tea for us partway through the afternoon and spent some time sitting with me before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Around half-past six, he came into the living room and looked down at me, one hand held behind him. "How's the ankle?" he asked.

"It's fine, thank you."

"Would you do the honor of accompanying me for dinner?" He produced a single rose from behind his back and handed it to me.

I had to smile. "I'd love to," I replied earnestly before taking the deep red flower and holding to to nose to inhale its scent.

"Right." He stooped down and lifted me into his arms. We came to the back door and he frowned at it. "I didn't quite think this through." I reached out and opened the door for him and he stepped through. "Thank you. I won't be able to heft you about in public for dinner tomorrow night, but I think we'll manage if you just lean on me for support." There was that teasing note in his smooth voice.

"I'm sure I'll be alright with that," I answered seriously and he gave me a grin.

One of my yellow blankets was spread across the sand. It was still quite bright outside, the sun only starting to begin its final descent. A small feast was set out on the blanket, with two plates and accompanying silverware. "I didn't know you knew so much about cooking," I said in wonder.

"I, er, asked Molly."

"That would explain the amount of food."

He laughed for a moment. "Yes, I'm afraid it'll be leftovers for a few days." He sank to his knees and placed me gently on one of the edges of the blanket. "Alright, Luna?" At my nod, he began moving around, carving the roast and then filling two plates for us. There were two long-stemmed glasses that I'd never seen before and, with a flick of his new wand, a bottle of wine rose up in the air and poured itself for us.

I waited for him to settle down with his food and we began to eat. It was quite delicious.

"This isn't how I imagined we'd be spending the evening," he admitted, raking his fingers through his hair. "I'd planned on rediscovering London and spending my time trying to impress you."

"This does impress me, very much. You spent the better part of the afternoon doing something just for me. I'm not used to that, I'm usually the one who does things for others."

"You've done a lot for me, Luna."

We ate in silence for a while. "I wanted to have pudding," he said as he noticed I was near to finishing my plate. "It, er, didn't work out. Made some gulls very happy, though."

"There's more than enough here and it's very delicious." I finished eating and then looked at him for a moment. "What do you intend to do with your house?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes moving over the horizon. "I'm not sure. I don't have a lot of happy memories there. As a child I was... Not happy. After I got out of Azkaban, I hadn't been back in nearly 20 years and even then it was still like a prison. Harry said he's had it all boarded up. Kreacher's gone to Hogwarts, and even without him it's a miserable place. At any rate, I won't need it- I've sent a letter to Minnie with my formal acceptance of the post at Hogwarts." His eyes snapped back to me. "Are you finished, then? I'll go and put this all away before it gets any more sand in it." He busied himself with getting everything situated in the house and I sat on the blanket, waiting for him.

"There," he said at last, coming to sit down beside me again. "Maybe I'll give it to Ron and Hermione."

"The leftovers?"

He laughed as he reclined on his elbows. "The house. They'll be getting married at some point, I expect. I'll have to figure out what to do about my mother. Maybe she can be painted over." He looked over at me for a moment. "Have you been there?"

"My dad and I stayed there for a short time after the war; the Death-Eaters destroyed our house. The portrait of your mother is very unkind."

"I expect I'll need to meet your father soon." He paused for a moment, looking out over the water. "Did Belletrix die?"

"Yes," I replied. "Molly killed her."

"Good," he said with a swift ferocity. "Have you met my cousin Andromeda?"

"Yes," I said again.

"Then you've met all of the remaining family worth knowing."

"Narcissa Malfoy saved Harry's life at the end of the war, did you know that?" A shadow passed over his eyes as he shook his head. "I'd say she's worth knowing as well."

His hand came over and brushed across my back for a moment before he shifted closer until his hip nudged mine. "I meant this to be romantic, not turn into a discussion about my questionable family tree."

I lay down on my back, pillowing my head on my hands as they clasped behind my head. "It is romantic, no one's ever cooked dinner for me before. As a date, I mean. Thank you, Sirius."

"Have you dated before?"

"Yes, in school."

"I understand now how Moony must have felt. I told him that it didn't matter; I'm glad he and Tonks ended up together." There was a trace of sadness in his voice. His face loomed into my line of sight and I could see the reflection of sadness in his eyes. "I'm making rather a mess of things again, I'm afraid. I care for you and I want to... I'm sorry, Luna. I'm just not sure I'm ready for all of this yet."

"That's alright, Sirius. You haven't even been on this side again for two weeks." I eased my hand out from behind my head and laid it gently on his cheek. "Your heart is very busy right now."

He turned his head and pressed a kiss to my palm, then leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over mine. "You're so good to me, Luna. Better than I deserve." He looked into my face for a time, and I looked back. "Who does this for you?" he asked after a while.

"No one," I replied, and I could see that my answer saddened him. "When I was nine, I watched my mum die. My dad was very much in love with her and mourned her very deeply. That's when I learned that the rain helps clear your mind and wash things away. It's not the same as being held by a person, but it is very soothing." I watched the clouds swirling in his eyes. "Helping others helps, too."

"That's why you live here, isn't it?" he asked. "Near the ocean."

I nodded. "Yes."

"I want to, Luna," he said after another long moment. I could hear the truth in his words, settling down around me like a comfortable blanket. "I want to be there for you."

"Your heart is still so full, Sirius. How can I ask you to take on the burdens of mine as well?"

"'Helping others helps,'" he repeated back to me. "And because I've been very selfish for a very long time, and because you deserve it."

I asked him a question that I'd never asked anyone else. "Will you hold me for a while?" I asked.

"I'd love to." He settled on his back beside me and I laid my head on his outstretched arm, turned against his chest. His other hand came over and took mine, lacing our fingers together. We stared at the sky until the stars came out.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: As always, thank you for the fabulous reviews! (heart)**

We arrived the next evening at the restaurant Harry got us reservations for. I was leaning very heavily on Sirius' arm to move about and there was a great deal of concern for my well-being. Molly, especially, fussed over me.

"I'm taking good care of her," Sirius assured her, the twinkle in his gray eyes matching the teasing tone in his voice.

Molly stopped short and the look she gave him would have formed icicles on a house. Mr. Weasley ushered her into her seat before she could say anything.

They were all there, the whole Weasley family- minus Charlie, who was in Romania. And Harry was there too, of course, and Hermione. Everyone ordered and wine was poured and then Sirius stood up for a toast.

We were tucked away in a private room, though we'd gotten quite a bit of attention as we filed through the restaurant together. Harry was famous, of course, and the large collection of Weasleys always drew looks on its own.

"After close to 19 years, I'm finally a free man." George let out a whoop and was shushed unceremoniously by Molly. "Quite right." Sirius passed George a broad grin. "I'm officially alive again, too, at least according to the Ministry. I've been offered a position at Hogwarts, which I have decided to take. Luna," he said, looking down at where I was seated beside him, "don't let me forget I have a meeting with Minnie on Monday for lunch."

I nodded as I smiled up at him. His eyes were happy and his heart was just a little bit lighter. It was nice to see him that way.

"And speaking of the lovely Miss Lovegood, she has been my anchor through this very trying time. She's put up with my sulking, my temper, and my tracking wet sand all over the house." He turned to me fully and held out his hand. I rested my hand into it and he lifted it to his lips for a soft kiss. "Thank you," he murmured, just to me, before bending over and pressing a kiss to my cheek. He lingered for a moment and I closed my eyes and breathed in the smell that was Sirius, spice mixed pleasantly with honey.

He straightened and I opened my eyes to see him lift his wine glass in the air with his free hand. "To family, may I get out to see the lot of you more frequently now."

"To family," everyone echoed and the clinking of wine glasses filled the air.

He settled in his chair again and rested our joined hands on the table. Conversation picked up around us, it was a busy family and they always had a lot to say to each other. I sat silently, letting the sound roll in my ears and through my head.

"Are you alright?" Hermione leaned forward to ask from where she was seated between Ginny and Ron. At my nod, she grinned. "Do you want to get together for lunch while Sirius is at Hogwarts? You, me, Ginny... Just us girls."

"That would be nice." I'd been used to seeing Hermione every day, and I missed her.

"Are you going to be able to get about without someone to lean on?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm sure that between the three of us, we can figure something out," Ginny interjected.

We were seated at a round table that had been enlarged perfectly to seat everyone. I was between Sirius and Fleur, who had little Victoire on her knee. The food came in short order and we all started eating.

"Say, Luna, I wanted to apologize for Robards," Harry told me.

"Thank you, Harry, but it's not your apology to make," I told him. Sirius took my hand and squeezed it for a moment and I could feel him trying to hold down his anger at the memory.

"What did he do?" Mr. Weasley asked. From the frown between his eyes, I got the impression he didn't care too much for Auror Robards.

"He was rather impolite," I said quietly.

"He was a right bastard," Sirius broke in, his anger gathering clouds in his eyes. "He implied that Luna's position at the Ministry is under Shacklebolt, if you catch my meaning."

There were noises of outrage around the table. Molly looked as though she was ready to go down to the Ministry herself and give Auror Robards the sharp side of her tongue. "He didn't," I replied evenly. "He didn't finish what he was saying, I imagine because you broke one of my dishes just then."

He turned his head to face me and I looked calmly back into those stormy gray eyes. His grip on his fork tightened until his knuckles were standing out, white against his fair skin. I reached out a hand and laid it on his arm. His muscle was taut under the sleeve of his dark blue blazer. After a moment, he started to relax. His grip on his fork loosened and the muscle in his arm went slack. He leaned over and kissed my forehead. "I did fix your plate," he said, his tone apologetic.

"Aren't you and the Minister going together?" Percy asked and the silence that swept the room threatened to swallow us all as everyone shifted to look at him. Except mine, I was watching everyone. "You're awfully handsy with him, I just thought..." He must have caught sight of the dark look in Sirius' eyes because he trailed off. "There's a lot of talk," he muttered after just a moment, then looked distinctly like he wanted to be out of there.

"Kingsley is a very dear friend of mine," I replied. "Am I awfully handsy with him?" I asked Hermione. Is that why Sirius had asked almost the same question? I was going to have to ask Kingsley about that.

Hermione choked on her wine and had to be pounded on the back by Ron. "No more than you are with George," she managed after a moment, and her voice, still hoarse from inhaled wine, was cautious. That was alright, then. George was a good friend to me, like a brother.

George, for his part, raised his wine glass and gave me a wink.

"Less, I'd say," Ron chimed in. "George kisses your cheek."

"You are a _bit_ familiar, aren't you, dear?" Molly asked in a kindly fashion, staring pointedly at my houseguest.

There was a loud thump beside me and I jumped, startled. Sirius had dropped his hand rather suddenly to the table and was giving a very hard stare to his plate of food. His other hand was balled up on his knee and I reached over and covered it with my own. He looked at me and the tempest in his eyes eased, lifting the oppression of the renewed silence with it.

"How's Robards treating this whole business?" Bill asked after a moment.

"He's not taking it seriously," Harry replied after swallowing a bite of his food. "And Shacklebolt's involved and he hates that, thinks he's being undermined by the Minister."

"A knockback jinx isn't exactly a life or death matter, is it?" Percy asked and I could sense the level of tension in the room rising again. "It's a first year spell."

"It was strong enough to break an ankle, wasn't it?" Ron snapped. He muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like, "Git," but I couldn't be sure.

"It was a specifically targeted spell, and Luna just _happened_ to be out with someone who isn't exactly popular right now." Hermione was using her lecturing voice. I'd heard it quite often when she'd come back to school to repeat her seventh year and we studied together.

It was touching that they were sticking up for me and I had to smile. When I was a very little girl, I'd played with some of the younger Weasley children in the woods between our houses and I'd been rather envious of them for having such a large family, for always having siblings to play with and talk to. Now I had that and my heart was so full of happiness. I leaned my head against Sirius' shoulder, willing some of my emotion to spill over into him.

He leaned his head down to murmur at the top of my head, "You're a puzzle, aren't you? Percy's very determinedly being a prat and you look like someone's just given you the moon."

"I've always wanted a big family," I replied contentedly.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Hope you enjoy!**

Ginny and Hermione flooed in, just in time to see Sirius give me a gentle kiss before he went out the front door to apparate out to Hogsmeade. Hermione was looking at me with her eyebrows raised. She was dressed as she did for work. "We were thinking the Leaky Cauldron," she said after a moment. "We can floo in and then if we want to go anywhere, George said we can borrow him for you to lean on."

"That's nice," I replied. Ginny came and helped me stand up and I hopped over to the fireplace. We flooed out to the Leaky Cauldron and got ourselves settled at a table.

Hannah Abbot came over with a smile. "What can I get for you ladies?" she asked brightly. After the war, Tom had retired, and Hannah had become the new proprietress.

We ordered food and butterbeer and she sent the order hovering back into the kitchen. She delayed by the table, almost vibrating with excitement. "Neville proposed!" she exclaimed, producing her hand for us to see. There was a beautifully modest engagement ring on her finger.

"Congratulations!" Ginny and Hermione enthused, almost as one. "That's great, Hannah," Hermione followed up. Neither one of them seemed very surprised. Harry and Ron were taking the auror training with Neville, and it had probably come up.

"That's lovely," I told her. "Weddings are wonderful; happiness and sunshine."

"We're getting married in December, be on the look out for invitations." We assured her that we would and she went off to continue her work.

"Well, how do you like that," Ginny marveled. "Say, didn't you go with Neville for a while?"

"Just a short time, right after that night at the Ministry," I replied. "We were rather better as friends."

She exchanged a look with Hermione. "Alright, I've been dying to ask this for a while now. Is Sirius your boyfriend?" she asked bluntly.

"Ginny," Hermione hissed in a quelling fashion.

"What? You want to know, too. So does Mum, but I promise I won't say a word." Her brown eyes, just like Molly's, were imploring.

"I'm not sure," I answered slowly. Was he? "I think so."

Ginny gave a sigh. "He's so handsome. What?" she asked when Hermione dug her elbow into Ginny's ribs. "He is."

"You're living with his godson!" Hermione protesting, her hair fluffing up a little about her head.

"Doesn't mean I can't look," Ginny hissed back.

"He is handsome," I agreed. He was. His black hair waved gently around his face and when he passed me one of his broad grins, a great flock of butterflies started dancing around in my stomach.

"How is he?" Hermione asked.

"Getting used to it all," I replied quietly. "He's still quite thrown by Professor Lupin's death. During he day he's alright, for the most part, but it comes up to haunt him at night sometimes."

"Are you going to go with him to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, watching me with open curiosity.

"He hasn't asked me. I'm afraid it's going to be rather lonely without him."

Our food came and we tucked in eagerly. "Do we need to eat quickly?" I asked Hermione.

"No," she answered. "I'm taking the afternoon off today."

We ate; I asked Ginny about her Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies, and Hermione caught me up on what she'd been working on at the Ministry.

We'd all finished eating and left money for lunch. "Well, what should we do now?" Ginny asked. "What do you want to do, Luna? I know it's been an age since you've been out."

"I'd like a new book," I replied. "I'm rather afraid I'll be staying inside for a while longer and I've read everything I own."

"Sure," Hermione agreed. "You should get Sirius to raid the library at his house for you, it is absolutely beautiful in there."

"Should I run and get George?" Ginny asked.

"I think we can manage," my brown-haired friend decided. "Luna, just lean on both of us. Flourish and Blotts isn't that far away."

And so, we left the Leaky Cauldron and began a slow journey down Diagon Alley, me leaning on both of my friends. It was cloudy that day, threatening rain, which meant it wasn't too hot.

It happened again. I was sent flying into Hermione and, with my grasp on Ginny's arm, the three of us ended up in a tangle on the cobblestones. Hermione took most of the brunt of our fall, but my ankle wrenched again in a horrifying manner that left me screaming. Whereas I had just drawn attention on my previous tumble on this very street, Ginny and Hermione were known enough to draw help. While Ginny jumped up and ran down the cobbled street to her brother's shop, Hermione was drawn to her feet, shaky and bruised but seemingly fit. She pulled away and knelt beside me, talking urgently. I watched her mouth moving but her words wouldn't stay in my ringing ears.

I sat on the cool gray street and held my ankle, tears leaking silently from my eyes. It hurt quite a lot more than it had the first time. George ran up to us a moment later in a swirl of magenta robes, followed closely by Ginny. He said something and picked me up and carried me up to his flat, Ginny just beside us. After he set me down, Ginny cast the bone-setting spell and I'm afraid I lost the delicious lunch I'd just finished on the floor of George's living room.

"I'm sorry," I told him, as my ears opened up to hold sounds again.

He briskly waved away the apology. "You ok?" he asked, concerned, and I had the impression it wasn't the first time he'd asked.

Before I could answer, there was a brief knock at the door and Hermione pushed her way in, and I saw my dad's familiar fine hair behind her. He came and knelt by the couch, frowning at me. "What happened, my darling?"

Hermione went over to the fireplace and disappeared in a wash of green flame.

"Twice now, I've been jinxed," I answered. "I broke my ankle again, and this time, my stomach came out on the floor here. The auror didn't listen to me last time."

"He'll listen to you now," Ginny promised rather fiercely. Her anger was rising, staining her cheeks a dark red.

George ignored my offers to help and spelled his marvelous orange carpet clean. He brought in a glass of water for me and pressed it into my hands, urging me to drink as my dad sat beside me, patting my hand.

Hermione came back in short order, this time through the fireplace with Kingsley and Auror Robards. Kingsley looked down at me and I could see the concern in his dark eyes. He didn't say anything just yet, merely leaned against the wall and watched his Head Auror.

Auror Robards came before the couch and very soon, Hermione and Ginny were standing between us. Hermione had her arms folded and Ginny's hands were on her hips. "I _do_ hope you're not going to ignore her this time," Hermoine warned fiercely, looking rather like a lion in that moment.

He looked from one to the other, and then between them to me. "Knockback jinx again, was it, Miss Lovegood?" His tone was chilled as though he'd poured ice over top of it. "Not watching where you were going, again?"

"For your information," Hermione snapped, "she was walking between us. She's already injured and the _three_ of us were taking great care with our steps to ensure she wouldn't be hurt further."

"It's obvious what it was, and it's just as obvious that Luna is being targeted." Ginny was wearing her hair in a pony tail and I could see the flush of red covering the back of her neck. "What isn't obvious is what you plan to do about it."

"This is the second time in four days. Surely carelessness and coincidence don't spread that far," Hermione finished.

Auror Robards had a purple tinge to his face from the verbal onslaught. "I suggest you remember who you're talking to," he said, his voice spilling over with self-important umbrage, looking to Kingsley for support. Kingsley had turned away to hide his smile and said nothing.

"I suggest _you_ remember who _you're_ talking to," Hermione shot back, jerking her head back to indicate me. I hadn't any idea what she meant, but Auror Robards' face shifted into a mottled puce.

"Yes," he gritted out from between his clamped teeth. "It does seem as though Miss Lovegood is being targeted for these attacks. I will ensure that we look into it." He bit out the last words rather reluctantly and then turned to leave through the door.

"I'll show you where it happened," George offered, a bit too cheerfully, and followed the auror out.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Kingsley asked, pushing away from the wall and coming over to crouch down in front of me.

I nodded. "I'm afraid you're going to be wrong about me being idle," I observed, eying my ankle.

"Let me know if you need anything." He pressed his hand on top of mine and then he took the floor back to the Ministry.

My dad stood and stooped, kissing the top of my head. "I must get back to work, my darling. I'll be along to visit within a week, make sure you get your rest."

"What did you mean?" I asked Hermione after the room mostly emptied and my friends sat down with me on the couch.

"Oh, that." Hermione gave an embarrassed sort of laugh. "He thinks you're the Minister's, um," she paused delicately, searching her vast brain for the right word.

"Strumpet?" I offered helpfully. I still wasn't sure that was the word he was going to use, but it seemed to be the word she was looking for.

"Yes. And especially with Shacklebolt standing right there, he had to at least give the appearance of taking this seriously." She gave me an apologetic look. "I'll talk to Shacklebolt, see if he can put someone else on this."

"I didn't know you could do that," I replied.

She had an embarrassed laugh again. "I can't, not officially, but I can bring it up as a _concerned friend _and mention that maybe Robards isn't giving this all of the attention it deserves."

Ginny looked over at me, eying my ankle. "We have to get you home," she said. "How long until Sirius is back from Hogwarts?"

"I'm not sure," I replied, head tilted slightly to the side while I considered the question. "Whenever he's through teasing Headmistress McGonagall, I suppose."

George came back in and looked down at me. "We've got to get you home," he said, echoing his sister's statement of just a few moments ago. "I'll carry you, Luna, we'll apparate."

"That's nice. Thank you."

He picked me up and we apparated out to my front gate. We got inside and he deposited me on my own couch. He made a joke about making sure I stayed on my own two feet, and then kissed my cheek and left. Ginny and Hermione came back by floo to keep me company and make sure I was settled comfortably on the couch.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, much *heart*! Carolilia- Thank you! I did think about crutches. But... I thought Sirius would prefer that she not have them because then he gets to play the knight in shiny armor.**

Sirius opened the door and took one look between Hermione and Ginny perched tensely on my small pink couch and his face drew down into a worried frown. "What happened?" he asked, worry released into the room like falling rain.

"Another knockback jinx," I replied quietly and I could see the stormy clouds forming in his eyes. "I hurt my ankle again."

He raked his hands through his hair. "Did you tell Shacklebolt?"

"I did," Hermione said. "I went to the Ministry and got the Minister and Robards."

Ginny rolled her eyes at the mention of the auror. "Don't know how much help he'll be," she muttered.

"He'd better be," Hermione declared, and her hair was starting to stand out around her face. "We gave him a bit of a talking to," she admitted, glancing at me.

"Good," Sirius said with a mixture of pride and anger. "Someone had to, and I was just as likely to just punch him. Where were you?"

"Diagon Alley again," I replied. "Just outside the Leaky Cauldron."

"Did you see anything? Hear anything?" Sirius pressed.

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a look and they both shook their heads. "Nothing," Ginny said, and I could feel her frustration as well.

Sirius was pushing his hands through his hair again like he was trying to push the frustration out of his head. "What I want to know is, how are they, whoever they are, managing to break your ankle, Luna."

"I've been doing some research," Hermione started, "because I was wondering the same thing. It's just a jinx and jinxes, while useful, aren't powerful enough to do something like this. Twice," she added, after a moment. "The conclusion I came to is, well, this _isn't_ the knockback jinx. It acts somewhat like it, obviously, but it's not."

"So what is it?"

"I'm not sure." Her frustration was thick enough to carpet the floor as she admitted she didn't know. "I couldn't find anything. I mean, I haven't had _that_ much time for research, but there's nothing established in any of the common texts."

Sirius' took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "If it's a new spell, then if we can find who wrote it, it would certainly be a large step in the right direction."

"_If_ we can find who wrote it," Hermione agreed. There was a moment of weighted-down silence.

Ginny looked at Hermione. "We should probably get going." They said their goodbyes and left.

Sirius sat down on my smaller pink couch, leaning forward with his forearms braced on his knees and his face drawn down into a frown. "Well," he said after a moment. "I wish I'd been there to see the girls staring down Robards."

"That was the best part," I agreed.

He hesitated for another moment. "Luna, Minnie said I could move into Hogwarts at any time up until September 1, but she _strongly advised_ that I move in by the end of August. Something about learning the syllabus and getting reacquainted with the grounds before school starts."

I met his gray eyes, worried but clearing of anger. "I'll miss you rather a lot, Sirius. I'm afraid my house will seem very empty without you in it."

He shifted on the couch, seemingly searching for something to say. "I was actually hoping you would come with me. I arranged for one of the couples' suites." He gave me a smile that could only be described as shy.

"Oh," I said. "Are we a couple?" I recalled Ginny's very similar question.

The smile turned into a broad grin and he stood and came over to crouch down beside me. He took my hand. "I think so."

"That's nice." I had to return his smile, being so close to him made my heart happy. "But we're not married."

"Er, yes. I used my considerable charm to talk Minnie into it." A flash of mischief chased through his eyes.

"You are very charming," I observed seriously.

"I'm glad you noticed." The teasing note was in his voice, matched by the twinkle in his gray eyes.

"I notice a lot of things," I replied. He looked as though he didn't know what to say to that. "I expect I'll go back to work at the Ministry as soon as school starts. I can floo, I think."

He sat back on his heels. "I hadn't thought about that." He looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, I'm used to having you around all the time."

"That's alright," I replied quietly. "But you'll be busy with classes every day and I'll need to have something to do. I'm afraid I'm not very good at being idle."

"Minnie could find something for you to do," he declared with an air of finality, as though it was already a fact.

"Perhaps," I agreed. "But I have a job, one I like very much. I miss seeing Hermione every day, and Kingsley."

"What is it you do?" he asked, curiosity floating around the room. "Besides pulling people out of portals."

"What's needed," I answered. "I deliver messages and fetch things and when people who tolerate me are very bothered, I sit with them until they are less bothered."

His other hand came up and he gently tucked a piece of my long hair behind my ear. "You have a very calming presence," he said softly with a gentle sort of smile.

"I've been told. I think I'm just particularly good at listening."

He leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over mine. "You haven't answered my question."

"I just did," I replied, a little confused. That had been the only question he'd asked me. "You asked me what I do."

"Will you come with me to Hogwarts?"

"Oh." He certainly hadn't asked that. I had to smile, I was glad he'd asked. I'd been really not looking forward to his absence. "Of course I will. When would you like to go?"

"I'm not sure. You need to rest up and heal for a couple of weeks and I really would like to take you around London for a little bit before dedicating my life to the service of our _impressionable_ youth." The twist of his lips told me that was something that the headmistress had said to him.

"And," he continued in a more tender tone, "I don't think I'm quite ready to give up being alone with you, just yet." He leaned forward and kissed me again. His lips lingered on mine, parting them beneath him. My eyes drifted shut and my free hand reached up until my fingers twined in the soft hair at the back of his neck. His tongue teased at mine and his hand came around my back, turning me slightly and pulling me against his chest.

He pulled back from me and I opened my eyes. He was still so close, his eyes flicking back and forth between mine. He released my hand and trailed the back of his finger along my cheekbone. "So beautiful," he murmured, as though he was talking to himself, and then he closed the distance between us for another kiss.

His lips met mine rather more insistently this time. Our mouths moved together until my head threatened to float off my body. My kisses with Neville and Dean had been enthusiastic, but less practiced. Sirius kissed as though he knew what he was doing and that kissing me was the most important thing he'd done all day.

He pulled away again, and I could see the reluctance in his face. "I can't keep sitting like this," he said, surrounding me with his regret.

I sat straight up, holding the back of the couch for balance. "Sit with me, then," I replied. "I'll sit on your knee and we can keep on doing this."

He threw his head back and laughed. He moved to sit behind me, now, and grasped my hips, moving me carefully until I was seated across his thighs. "You're enjoying this, then?" he asked softly in that teasing tone.

"Very much," I replied earnestly. "You're very good at kissing. I'm rather glad you were a ladies' man."

He leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine for a moment. "What am I going to do with you, Luna?" he asked, and there was a strain in his voice.

"Just right now, you should kiss me again."

His shoulders were shaking and I realized he was laughing again, silently this time. "As my lady wishes." He shifted his arms around me until I was pressed back with my head rested on the arm of the couch. He glanced down to my ankle, where it was still propped up on a pillow at the other end of the couch. "Alright, then?"

I reached my hands up behind his neck, moving my fingers through his soft black hair, and gently pulled him down to meet him in another kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Carolilia, if it helps we can say that Hermione suggested it "off-screen" as it were and Sirius was all, "That sounds a bit dangerous, I don't think that'll be necessary," or something. :D **

**I didn't update yesterday, but I got the first draft of the full story done. YAY! We're about halfway through now, and I hope you all enjoy it!**

Later that week, Sirius went to Diagon Alley to, as he said, "Pick up some things for school. Do you know, it's been years since I've done that." The Headmistress had provided him with a generalized list of what he would need. She'd mentioned in her letter that the school would be able to provide everything he needed, but he wanted to pick out precisely what he would prefer to use. And, "I don't want to add to the financial burden on the school when I don't have to."

He'd asked if I wanted to go with him, and I'd declined. I hadn't had the best of luck with Diagon Alley of late and I didn't want to risk it until I'd recovered a little more. I asked if he'd bring me back a new book or two and he promised he would.

I was getting quite good at hopping around the house to get around, and I had my wand with me to summon the things I needed; I was getting proficient at levitating myself full cups of tea. I was painting a lot, too, to keep from staying idle.

Fleur stopped by for just a little bit while she was out on a walk with Victoire. Before the baby came, I had been in the habit of visiting with her and Bill every two or three weeks. Then the baby was born and then Sirius came back, and we hadn't really seen each other in a while, outside of the recent dinners at The Burrow. It was very pleasant to visit with her again, and she extracted a promise that Sirius and I would be along to visit over the weekend.

Shortly after she left, the floo activated. I wasn't expecting anyone else and I looked curiously at the fireplace when it flared to life.

"Hello Harry," I greeted my friend as he stepped out of the green flames. I was seated on the pink couch, my foot up beside me, sketching a picture of a raven to paint. "What brings you out here?"

"Is Sirius in?" he asked, his green eyes peering about as though he expected to see his godfather there.

"No, he's gone on a school shopping trip. I'm sure you could find him in Diagon Alley."

He glanced around again before turning his full attention to me. "Actually, I wanted to speak with you, Luna."

"Oh. Come and have a seat, then," I offered, gesturing to the long yellow couch. I put my sketchpad and my pencils down and picked up my wand. "Can I get you some tea?" He shook his head. "What would you like to talk about, Harry?"

He strode through the room and sat down gingerly on the offered seat like he was expecting it to rise up and bite him. He stared at me through his glasses for a moment and I looked back, waiting. He would get to it when he was ready. "I need to apologize, Luna," he said after a long moment. "I was angry with you when you heard Sirius and I didn't, and it wasn't right."

"That's alright, Harry," I reassured him.

"No, it isn't," he told me firmly. "I was very rude to you that night, and I'm sorry."

"It's a lot to take in, when someone you love very much that you thought was dead turns out to be not-so-dead after all. There's adjusting to do all around, and you hadn't adjusted yet." I smiled at him. "You have now, though, so it's alright. You were very worried about him, too, and sometimes it's easy to fret at a friend when you're worried about someone else."

He nodded. He was no longer angry, but he was still troubled. His eyes didn't fill with clouds the same way Sirius' did, but the spark behind them paled just a little. "I just... Why, Luna? Why did he call out to you?"

"I'm not sure," I replied honestly. "I think... Your mind is quite busy now. Your training is quite intensive, is it not?"

"Yeah, it's a bit rough."

"My mind isn't quite so crowded up." I looked at him for a moment. "There's more room for things to echo inside of it. And I was already listening."

His eyebrows drew down a little, like he was trying to make out what I was saying and couldn't. That happened sometimes, even with my good friends. "Listening?"

"Yes. Hermione's hair was all up around her like a great cloud and I was sitting still and listening to her. Sometimes, when people get troubled, all they need is someone to listen to them, I expect because they stop listening to themselves."

"You always listen," Harry said, a trace of shame surfacing in his voice.

"Yes," I replied evenly. "It's very important to listen."

He gave a great sigh. "I'm glad you were listening, Luna."

"I am too."

"How's your ankle?" he asked after another moment.

"It's recovering. Not as quickly as I'd like, I'm afraid." I looked down at the bandaged ankle propped up on the couch beside me.

There was a _pop_ outside and then the door opened and Sirius walked in, his arms full of shopping. "Oh, hello Harry," he greeted, walking across to place his bundles on the couch before offering his hand. They shook. "Are you on your lunch?"

"Yeah, I can't stay for long, I just wanted a word with Luna."

"Several words, in fact," I observed and Harry chuckled.

"How are you?" he asked Sirius.

Sirius came over and leaned down for a warm kiss before settling himself on the arm of the couch, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Good. I'll floo you tonight, I need to bend your ear about something." His words were heavy with obscured meaning.

"Right." There was a moment of weighty silence. "We missed you at Sunday dinner," Harry said, looking between the two of us. "Although we understood about the injury."

"This week for sure, although you may need to keep Molly away from me. I'm sure she'll be wanting to give me rather a large piece of her mind." Sirius wore a rueful smile on his face.

Harry laughed outright at that. "Yeah, she did mention something about you debauching innocent young women." He glanced down at his wrist watch. "I need to be getting back. We'll see you two on Sunday then?" He and Sirius hugged and he leaned over to give me a quick hug, and then he flooed back to the Ministry.

"Did you find everything you need?" I asked, looking over the pile of purchases.

"I think so," he said. "I expect I'll be leading the first lesson and realize that I forgot something tiny and important. Your books are somewhere in there, and George gave me something for you he said you'd like. I'll sort it out in just a few minutes." He paused, looking down into my eyes. "I met your father today."

I had to smile at that. "That's nice. How was he?"

"Well, I think. Worried about you. He said he'd be by tomorrow. I told him of my, er, rather honorable intentions and he just looked at me and said, 'Are you really?' I'm not sure what that means."

I leaned my head against his side and he bent down to plant a kiss among the roots of my hair. "What are your rather honorable intentions?" I asked curiously, and he stilled for a long moment.

"Not meaningless, er, romps between the sheets," he said finally, and his tone seemed a little guarded. "No matter what Molly thinks."

"We haven't even had a meaningful romp between the sheets," I observed, and his hand tightened on my shoulder. "Although I'm not sure he would mind if that was what your plans were, just as long as I'm happy."

Another pause. "Are you happy?"

"Very much so, Sirius."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you for the review love! This is my favorite chapter I've written, I think. **

We apparated to The Burrow for Sunday dinner around midafternoon. Despite my being able to hobble around on my own, Sirius insisted on carrying me up to the door. His reason for doing so became rather evident when Molly opened the door and froze for a moment, staring at me in his arms while his eyes held that teasing twinkle. He did like to tease. "Well. Go on through," she told him stiffly, and he brought me through the kitchen to the living room.

George was laughing as Sirius set me down on the couch. "You'd better be careful, mate," he advised. "Mum has a wicked temper when it comes to her family."

"I heard that, George Weasley," Molly snapped from the kitchen, and George raised his eyebrows as if to say, _see what I mean_?

I was sitting sideways on the couch with my feet propped up and Sirius sat down behind me and draped his arm around my waist, pulling me close until I was leaning against his side.

"How's the ankle, Luna?" George asked.

"I'm starting to be able to walk on it," I replied. "It's nice to be getting better. How are you sleeping?"

"Comes and goes," he admitted. "Bit lonely up there. Ginny stays on sometimes and it's easier, you know?"

Mr. Weasley came in and looked at us sitting on the couch, and there was a great pause as though the very room was inhaling and holding its breath. Sirius made to get up to meet him, but Mr. Weasley waved him down. "Don't get up, Sirius, you're a backrest just now," he said kindly. He turned his attention solely to me. "And how are you, Luna?"

"Well, thank you," I replied.

He settled himself in one of the chairs, crossing one foot over his other knee. "Did you get your new position all sorted out, then?" Mr. Weasley asked Sirius, the feeling of comfortable companionship he gave off settling along the carpet.

"I did. It seems a little strange that I'm going back as an authority figure after all the trouble James and I got up to there." I could hear the amusement in his voice. "But Minnie's not holding it against me."

"Isn't there a portrait of one of your relatives in the headmaster's office?" George asked.

Sirius shifted behind me. "Yes, Great-Great-Grandfather Phineas. He was simultaneously pleased and displeased to see me. Another chance to further the ancient Black line, even if it was a, what did he call me? Wastrel, like me."

Hermione and Ron came down the stairs just then. "Oh, hello," Ron said, looking at us. "Didn't know anyone else was here. Lost track of time, um, you know." His ears flooded with color as he glanced to his dad.

"Studying for your auror training?" George suggested with a snicker and Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron's ears glowed like the embers of a fire.

"I should stop taking up all of the furniture," I observed and dropped my feet to the floor.

"You could always sit on my knee," Sirius murmured to me, close to my ear, and Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and sent a meaningful look to the kitchen.

"Fancy a game of chess?" Ron croaked like an embarrassed frog.

"Love to," Sirius agreed, and Ron moved the board and a chair over so they could play while Sirius kept his arm around me.

Hermione sank onto the couch beside me. "Harry mentioned you've been painting again," she said.

"Yes. It's good to have something to do."

"Getting a bit dull, is it?" she asked, her sympathy reaching out to me like an embrace.

"It's difficult to be idle. Sirius is good to me," and here he placed a kiss atop my head, "but I'm used to getting out daily. I'm just starting to be able to walk around on my own again, though, which is nice."

There was a flare of green fire from the fireplace and Percy stepped into the room, followed closely by Audrey. I felt the tension suddenly in Sirius' frame. While he never explicitly said he didn't like the middle Weasley son, I knew that's how he felt.

Mr. Weasley got up to greet the newcomers and they passed by us into the kitchen to see Molly.

"Pretentious git," Ron muttered and Hermione sent him a quelling look.

By the close of the chess match, Bill and Fleur had shown up with little Victoire and we were just waiting on Harry, Ginny and Teddy. Victoire was nestled in my lap, tugging away on fistfuls of my long hair while she stared at my eyes.

"You're quite good with young children," Sirius observed, leaning his head down to speak quietly into my ear.

"I like them," I answered. "They simply are as they are."

Hermione gave me a look as though she was trying to tell me some great secret with her eyes.

"I've got to stretch my legs," Sirius said and waited until I had shifted my weight away from him before he stood up.

"Stay out of the kitchen," George warned in a low voice.

I moved around until I was facing forward on the couch. Sirius tipped my face up for a kiss before striding away, up the stairs, likely in search of the bathroom.

George came over and sat beside me, sympathy shining in his brown eyes. "She's been getting a bit mental about this," he said quietly, jerking his head toward the kitchen. "She told me I should have snatched you up when I had the chance."

I looked at him for a moment. "But you and I have never had a romantic relationship."

He chuckled quietly. "No, but that never seems to stop her." Then, "Uh oh," as Molly went up the stairs as well.

A worried sort of silence descended over the room, and then there were low voices, talking above us. "Wish I'd brought an extendable ear with me," George whispered to me. Eavesdropping was a popular pastime in the Weasley household and this was no exception.

"Don't you always have one?" Hermione asked and he gave her a quiet chuckle.

"A man your age, it just isn't appropriate!" Molly's shrill yell suddenly echoed through The Burrow and everyone stilled, except Mr. Weasley, who gave me an apologetic look before standing and heading for the stairs.

"A man my age?" Sirius thundered back. "I'm no older than Remus was when you were on at him about Tonks! I've been dead for four damn years, in case you'd forgotten!" I could almost see the clouds of anger in Sirius' gray eyes, despite him being a floor away.

"Nymphadora wasn't 19!"

"No, but she's not that much younger than Nymphadora was!" It was rather obvious that they were arguing about me.

"Remus wasn't a skirt-chasing playboy!" Molly returned sharply.

"Skirt-chasing-! Is the foolishness of my misspent youth going to follow me now, twenty years later? If I just wanted a quick shag, I could have that! I don't want that! I want her- I'm in love with her, Molly!" All eyes came rather suddenly to me as though drawn by a magnet. I smiled, my heart was suddenly overflowing with happiness.

There was a moment of silence and then a sound that was a lot like a sob. Conversation above us resumed at a much quieter level and then Molly came back down the stairs, with Sirius and Mr. Weasley close behind. She went into the kitchen and George vacated the seat beside me, taking Victoire with him, so that Sirius could sit down again. His eyes were clear and he looked rather proud of himself. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me to him for a moment before relaxing his grip so that he was simply holding me.

"You put Mum off of one of her tirades," Ron breathed in admiration. "You're bloody brilliant."

Shortly after that, Molly came in and pressed a cup of tea into my hands. Her eyes were still shining and she was wearing a very large, very tender smile. "There now, dear, you drink this." She stood before us, looking down at me like she very much wanted to say something else.

"Mum, are you crying?" Ron asked.

"You hush," she admonished him, gently though, and then retreated to the kitchen.

Harry and Ginny came in then, with Teddy. Teddy was very fond of his cousin "See-iss," and spent his time before dinner sitting on Sirius' lap.

Dinner was delicious and plentiful, as it always was. Molly kept glancing over at me and a tender smile would break out on her face, her eyes would begin to shine. She was no longer angry with Sirius, and for his part, he looked quite pleased with himself.

We stayed quite long after Teddy had fallen asleep, tucked up on Sirius' lap with his hands clutching my hair around him like a blanket. At last, Harry and Ginny said they needed to get him back to Mrs. Tonks and they left. We left shortly after, and Sirius sat with me in the living room and held me for a time before retiring to the guest room that had become his.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. For reals, it's amazing that you all show me so much support!**

**My router died quite suddenly last night, which means... While I *should* be able to update every day, I *may* not.**

The following Saturday, my ankle was well enough to walk around. It still twinged a little from time to time, but Sirius decided he wanted to show me about London. "After all," he said, his eyes twinkling. "I can just carry you if you get too tired."

He showed me all of his old haunts, as he called them, marveling at how much things had and hadn't changed in the past 19 years. It was wonderful to be out with him, my hands looped around his arm as we went to and fro, his heart light and happy.

We went to his house. There were boards over the windows and the house was filled with a heavy, oppressive silence. He gave me an official tour. It was in such a state of disrepair, all except the library, which showed signs of recent use. "Hermione," he explained.

"You have a very lovely house," I said. "I imagine it was very beautiful before it became disused."

He gave me a close look and I could see the thoughts passing behind his eyes. "I'll have it restored," he declared suddenly. "See if we can't bring some cheer into these dusty old rooms."

The afternoon passed without incident in Diagon Alley. We had ice cream and visited with my dad, who kept giving me happy-yet-wistful looks.

We went out for dinner to a muggle restaurant. Apparently there were still some in the wizarding community who weren't convinced of Sirius' innocence and he didn't want our meal disturbed by the whispers and stares of others; indeed not all of the pointing and curiosity in Diagon Alley had been directed at me. I told him that I was used to such treatment and he asked me to, "Humor me please, love?"

We were shown to a small table; he pulled my chair out for me and made sure I was seated comfortably before taking his own seat opposite me. The restaurant was dimly lit in an intimate fashion. He'd been a little twitchy all day, but he was even more so after we were seated; he kept reaching up to pat the breast pocket of his black blazer, almost without realizing he was doing so, and he kept raking his fingers through his thick hair in a show of nerves.

He placed his open hand on the table, palm up, and I slipped mine into it. He passed me a warm smile. "I'm glad we were finally able to do this."

"I am too," I replied. "I'm sorry we weren't able to get out to do it sooner."

"No, I just meant..." he trailed off, his eyes searching mine as though he was trying to sift through them. "You always say exactly what you mean, don't you?"

"Yes," I replied, tilting my head slightly to the side to regard him. "It's very hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn't say what they mean, nor mean what they say."

"You are describing almost all of my family, love," he replied, a rueful tone coming to the surface.

"Your mother seems rather outspoken," I said, and he threw his head back and laughed.

"Yes, she was about _outsiders_. But with family, everything was couched in passive-aggressive rubbish. 'It would have been so nice if the Black heir had been sorted into Slytherin like the rest of the family,' while purposely avoiding looking at me."

"That's exactly the kind of thing I don't have patience for, I'm afraid," I told him.

He laughed again. "I daresay you would have driven my mother mad, love." There was a definite note of approval as his hand reached up again to pat his breast pocket.

The waiter came back and took our orders just then. It seemed to be a much slower process, eating in a muggle restaurant.

"Speaking of my mother," he continued, after the waiter had gone again, "I've decided to fix up and update the family tree."

"That seems like it would make your mother very cross."

A look of mischief flashed through his eyes. "That might be some of my motivation," he admitted. "I think it's important to know where you've come from, even if it is just to learn from the mistakes of your ancestors." He shifted and raked his free hand through his hair. "It's also... Well, I'd like to get Moony up there, and Teddy. The Weasleys too, in fact; Arthur is a second or third cousin."

There was a moment of silence when our wine arrived. "Muggle wine isn't quite the same, but it's not so bad," he leaned across the table to whisper to me. He straightened up. "Teddy is a lovely boy."

"He is," I agreed. "He's very curious, I think curiosity is a good trait in a child."

His lips twitched at the corners. "I imagine you were a very curious child," he said.

"I was. My mum rather encouraged it, she said that there would always be more to discover if one were just curious enough to look for it. I still miss her, you know. She'll have been gone for 10 years this Christmas and it still makes me sad sometimes."

"She was very beautiful," Sirius said, squeezing my hand to comfort me. I had a picture of her on the wall in my living room.

"She was, and very kind."

"Have you... given any thought to having children of your own?" he asked, his hand drifting up to touch his breast pocket.

"Yes," I said. "I'd like to have two or three. I was a bit lonely as a child, I'm afraid. I think we would have lovely children, Sirius, very intelligent."

"_We_ would?" he asked, somewhat taken aback.

"Yes. You asked me about children and we're in a relationship, so it follows that you would also be thinking about children in regards to us."

He laughed at that, somewhat incredulous. "That you pick up on, but flirting goes right over your head."

"I'm afraid I've never been really good with flirting."

He seemed to measure me for a moment in silence. "This is a bit presumptuous..." he started, pulling his hand free of mine to rake the pair through his black hair. "Are you very wealthy, love?"

"I'm not," I replied openly. "After the war, I was awarded some money from the Malfoys as restitution for being kept a prisoner in their house. I bought my house straight away with most of it."

"I... am," he said after a moment. "I inherited a fairly hefty sum from an uncle. I had another key to my bank vault made and I want you to feel free to use it." He reached into his blazer and fished around in the pocket for a moment before taking out a small key, a match to the one he had, and handing it to me.

"Thank you," I replied, taking it and slipping it into a pocket in the front of my dress. "That's very generous."

"It's not as much as I-" he cut himself off abruptly and again his hand went over his breast pocket. "Are you enjoying your evening, love?"

"Very much," I replied earnestly. "It's nice to sit here with you, I'm rather glad that muggle restaurants are so slow."

He threw his head back and laughed, and we continued to talk until dinner arrived. After we finished eating and he paid the bill with muggle money from Gringotts, he raked his hands through his hair and came around to pull out my chair for me to stand. When I was up, he tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and said, "Up for a stroll, love? London is beautiful, all lit up at night. We'll go slowly."

We were walking along the Thames in a silence full of expectant tension. His hand moved up to his breast pocket again and then stopped just below a street lamp. I turned to face him and he lifted my hand between us. His gray eyes, at once tender and uncertain, peered down into my face. "Luna, I-"

"_Sectumsempra_!" rang out from somewhere close by. I took my wand from where it was tucked in my hair, but by the time I got the shield charm up there was already a rush of wet spreading through the arm of Sirius' black blazer.

He stilled, his eyes locked on his arm where it was injured. His face had almost a haunted look on it. He seemed to be a little bit in shock.

"You're bleeding," I informed him gently. "And this curse is beyond my ability to heal." I took a quick glance around to ensure we were alone and then I apparated us to my house. He was still staring down at his arm as though he couldn't quite make out what was happening. I gently led him inside, and summoned a towel. I pressed it to his arm. "Hold this there," I urged him, taking his other hand and placing it on top of the towel covering his bleeding arm before gently guiding him to the fireplace. I took down the dish of floo powder. "I'm going to put some in the fire now, and I need you to go to St. Mungo's. I'll be right behind you, Sirius."

I threw a handful of floo powder at his feet and he said, "St. Mungo's," and then he was off. I gathered another handful and stepped into the fireplace to do the same for myself.

Sometime later, he was situated in a hospital bed. They had healed his arm and were keeping him overnight; he'd lost a lot of blood and they wanted him to replenish it a little before he left.

An auror, not Auror Robards, had come and asked us what happened. He frowned when he heard and left quickly to try and track down the wizard who had done it.

Sirius was lying down, clutching my hand from where I was sitting beside the head of the bed, and kept looking at his arm. "I thought Snape was dead."

"He is," I replied. "Voldemort's snake killed him."

"He was the only wizard I ever heard use that spell." His eyes were filled with a tempest of troubled clouds.

"It became somewhat popular when he was Headmaster for a time. The teachers would use it to discipline us sometimes, and it filtered out into wizarding society. Unfortunately the counter-curse was kept quite private."

A dark shadow passed over Sirius' face. "Thought I saw his portrait in Minnie's office."

"Yes. Harry insisted that it was the proper place for it to go. Professor Snape was a noble man," I told him quietly.

He snorted and disbelief covered the bed. "I rather doubt that. What do you mean, a noble man?"

"I expect you should ask Harry that," I replied.

He frowned, but didn't answer. We stayed silent for a time before he said, "I was attacked before, too. The day I went to Diagon Alley. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you, but someone used the knockback jinx- or whatever it was- on me. Obviously I wasn't hurt as badly as you were, just a bit of a broken nose."

I watched him for a moment. "Did you tell Kingsley?"

"Yes, I flooed to his office. He was a little surprised to see me." The corners of his mouth turned up in a humorless smile. "He's getting rather concerned about this whole business."

"I'm sure he'll make sure that it's seen to. I noticed that it wasn't Auror Robards here this evening."

"Yes." He fell silent, looking at where our hands were linked on top of the covers.

"Luna," he said after a while. "I love you."

My heart overflowed with happiness to hear him say that, and I was smiling before I realized it. It was the first time he had said that directly to me, despite his outburst at The Burrow almost a week ago. "I love you, Sirius," I replied and stood up to lean forward and press a soft kiss to his forehead.

He flicked his wand at his blazer where it was hanging on the door and it floated toward him until he reached up and grabbed it with his free hand. He fumbled around in the breast pocket for a moment until he pulled out a small wooden box, trimmed in gold. He dropped the clothing on the floor, forgotten, and handed me the box. "Open it."

I took the smooth box and opened it, and there was a delicate ring inside, gold set with a moonstone. I stared for a moment at the ring. "It's very pretty."

"It's for you. If you want. I mean..." He paused and took a deep, shaking breath. "It's not a diamond, I didn't think you were a diamond sort of girl. Not that you don't deserve..." He stopped talking and raked his fingers through his hair. "There I go, trying to make a mess of things again." He took another deep breath. "I know this is somewhat fast, but I'm all too aware that life can end suddenly, without warning. Will you marry me, Luna?"

I was smiling again, I realized as I took the ring from the box and slipped it on my finger. "That would be wonderful." I felt a tear slip from my eye and glide silently down my cheek. I looked into his face and all of the clouds were gone from his shining eyes. I leaned forward and gently brushed my lips against his, then leaned my head against his shoulder. He lifted my hand and together, we looked at the ring gracing my finger.

A nurse opened the door and looked inside. "You'll need to go now, so Mr. Black can have his rest," she told me with an air of efficiency.

"Can't she stay on a bit? We've just gotten engaged." Sirius sent her one of his more charming smiles and she caught sight of the ring on my hand and I could see her relent.

"Just a bit longer," she said, shaking her head before she retreated and shut the door softly behind her.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N- Thank you, dear readers! Special thank you for the wonderful comments!**

The next time the nurse popped her head through the door, I gave Sirius a warm kiss and left, despite his protestations. I promised I'd be along early in the morning. The nurse met me just outside the door. "He'll be ready to go in the morning," she told me kindly. "Congratulations."

I gave her a big smile. "Thank you," I said, and went out and flooed to the flat Ginny and Harry shared.

They were asleep, it was quite late. My smile was gone when I knocked quietly on the bedroom door and when I heard a groan, I went out and sat on the couch to wait.

Harry came out in a moment in his pajamas, wand held before him, his hair still all caught up in sleep. When his sleepy green eyes focused on me, he relaxed. "Luna, what are you doing here at- is that blood?" He seemed rather more awake when he came over to me. "Are you ok?"

I looked down and saw the blood staining the front of my lavender dress. I took my wand and flicked it at myself, a moment of concentration. The blood disappeared."I'm alright, Harry, this is Sirius' blood. He's at St. Mungo's. I thought you'd want to know."

He dropped heavily to the couch beside me in a tight cloud of worry. "What happened, Luna," he asked urgently.

"We were out for a walk and he was attacked again. Someone used the sectumsempra curse on him and he bled rather a lot." I tilted my head slightly to the side, recalling how quickly his sleeve had become soaked.

"Is he ok?" The urgency in Harry's voice became haunted and his eyes were moving frantically over my face.

"He's alright. They healed him and now they're keeping him so he can rest and get some blood back. They told me I should be able to collect him in the morning.

Ginny emerged from their bedroom, wrapped in a dressing gown and tiredness. "What time is it?" she asked around a large yawn. "What's going on?"

"Sirius has been hurt," Harry said, worrying falling from his voice.

Ginny came and sat down on my other side. "Will he be ok?" she asked, placing her hand on my arm.

"Yes, he's just resting. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I thought you'd want to know."

"Yes, I'm glad you came," Harry told me. "Did you report it?"

"We saw an auror at the hospital."

"Not Robards, I hope," Ginny said, and her heavy eyes flashed.

"No, someone else entirely." I looked between the two, noting their faces still clouded with sleep. "I should go now and leave you to your rest." I stood and went slowly back to the fireplace. I was tired and my ankle was aching. I needed sleep.

"Thanks, Luna. We'll see you later on at dinner, yeah?"

"I expect so, Harry. I hope you have a pleasant night." I went home and got ready for bed. The house felt so empty without Sirius there in the room across the hall. I marveled at how quickly I'd become accustomed to him being such a large part of my life. And he was going to become an even larger part of my life. I sat awake for a while in my bed, staring at the ring. Sirius had been right, I didn't really think much of diamonds. This ring, my engagement ring, was beautiful.

It took a long time to get to sleep, but eventually my eyes stayed closed and my mind drifted away to the land of dreams.

I was awoken in the morning by the sun shining through my window. It was rare that there was no fog in the morning, but that morning was bright and clear. I got up and showered quickly and dressed, pausing only to grab a quick cup of coffee- there was always coffee in the morning, Sirius preferred it- and a piece of toast before heading back to the hospital.

When I got there, Sirius was still sleeping. The day nurse told me that they'd given him a Dreamless Sleep potion and he would be up within the next hour. I sat by his bedside and took his hand and watched him while he slept. Even though I didn't get to do it often, I loved watching him sleep, he was so peaceful.

When he awoke, he opened his eyes and smiled to see me sitting there beside him. "I like you being here when I wake up," he said, voice still thick from sleep.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked. He was still rather pale but he looked better than he had when I left.

"Somewhat. I had a devil of a time sleeping, I finally asked them to give me something."

A nurse pushed her way into the room. "Good morning, Mr. Black," she said cheerfully. She held a potion in front of her. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he answered. "Still a bit fuzzy up top."

"That's to be expected. You need to drink this and then you can be on your way."

He took the potion and drained it, his face screwing up in distaste. He handed the empty glass back to her.

She took it, her entire being busy with efficiency. She looked at me. "You're his...?"

"Fiancee," he answered her, brushing his hand over my arm. "Whatever you need to tell me, you can say in front of Luna."

"You'll need more rest, Mr. Black. You should be back to yourself in another day or two- no transformation until Wednesday, just to be safe." She gave him a cheerful smile and pushed out the way she had come in.

I moved aside so he could get out of bed, and he did so. I'd never seen him other than fully dressed, but now he was wearing only his trousers. He was built as you'd expect an active man in his middle 30s to be built, hard lines with just a bit of softness right at the middle. He stooped to pick up the blazer from the floor, and had to put his hand out to steady himself as he straightened. "Remind me not to bend down just yet."

"Don't bend down just yet," I told him, and he looked at me for a moment before laughing. I went and retrieved the blazer for him and handed it to him.

"Are you alright, love? You look a little tired."

"I didn't sleep very well either," I replied quietly. "My house was very lonely without you in it."

"Hopefully that's the last time for that." He crossed the room and took the waistcoat and shirt down from the hook by the door and frowned at them. "Covered in blood."

I took the wand from behind my ear and pointed it at his clothing. I concentrated a moment and the blood vanished like it had from my dress the night before.

He pulled on his clothes and then offered me his arm. Even in the hospital, he was very well mannered. "Let's get home."

We walked out to the entryway and flooed home.

"I told Harry," I said as sat down at the table with him, after making him some breakfast. "I stopped in at their flat last night before I came here. I thought Harry would want to know."

"Yes, I expect he would have been a bit put out if I'd dropped later, 'Oh, by the way, I was caught up in the hospital.'"

"Do you still want to go to dinner at The Burrow tonight?" I asked, concerned. He did look very tired, with dull dark smudges under his eyes.

"I think we have to. Molly is going to explode if she doesn't hear soon that I've proposed." He gave a rueful smile.

I looked down at my ring and I smiled too. "That's why she stopped being angry with you."

"Yes, I've been carrying it around with me for a while, waiting for the right time." He caught my hand and lifted it to his lips. "I meant it to be rather more romantic than a hospital room."

"I think it went well," I observed. "We had a very nice time together yesterday, excepting the time you spent bleeding, and when you asked me I said yes."

"Then very well indeed, love," he said, eyes twinkling.

After he showered, we spent a quiet morning nestled up together reading, Sirius looking through some of the classwork he'd be expected to teach and me a new book purchased during our trip to Flourish and Blotts the day before.

"If we are going to go to The Burrow tonight," he said that afternoon after watching me yawn, "I think we should both get some more sleep."

"I think you're right," I agreed.

He stood up and took my hand and, after drawing me gently to my feet, led me down the hall to my room. I got into my soft bed and, after pulling off his waistcoat and shirt, Sirius got in with me. It was different, I'd never shared a bed with a man before. He kissed me gently and then turned me away from him, tucking himself up behind me with my back pressed into my chest and his arm securely about my waist. I slept, far better than I had the night previously.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thank you for the comments, I loves them a lot!**

I woke up several hours later, content and warm. I stretched as much as I could with Sirius just up against my back and his arm tightened around my waist; he was already awake. "Did you sleep well?" he murmured to me.

"Yes," I replied happily. "It's very pleasant to wake up in your arms."

"Me too." His lips closed over the outer edge of my ear and I gasped in delight. He pushed me gently onto my back and then our mouths met, his tongue swirling with mine. After a moment, his lips trailed down my jaw and onto the side of my neck and I arched into him, needing to get closer.

"Luna," he said, lifting his head. His voice was strained and when I opened my eyes, there was a look on his face that could only be described as hungry. "We need to get up now, or I really will be debauching innocent young women."

"Really?" I asked, peering at him curiously. "I've never been debauched."

He groaned and dropped his head to rest on my shoulder. "If you don't stop looking at me like that, love, we're going to miss dinner."

I slipped away from him and stood. "Molly would be rather cross," I observed. With my back to Sirius, I pulled my dress off and draped it over the side of the bed before walking to my wardrobe. I heard another groan from the bed as I pulled a fresh pink dress out and got dressed. When I turned back to look at him, he was lying on his side, watching me. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes moved over me. "Hungry."

"I expect dinner will be ready shortly after we get there, we slept for quite a while. You should get a shirt on," I told him.

He dropped his head into my pillow and when he spoke, his voice was all caught up in it. "I'm going to need a moment, love."

I went into the bathroom to brush out my long hair and after a few moments I heard him move from my room to his, presumably to get a fresh shirt and waistcoat.

I met him in the living room. He was sitting on the couch, waiting in a cloud of patience. He stood as soon as I walked in and we flooed to The Burrow.

"Is that Sirius and Luna?" I heard Molly ask as I stepped out. Everyone else was already there, we were later than we usually were. I stepped out of the fireplace and she walked over in a field of excited curiosity. Her eyes locked on my hand and, seeing the ring, she clasped her hands in front of her. "Well!" She pulled me to her in a big hug and when I stepped back, I could see her eyes were shining with happiness. "Come on in, dear." She moved to give Sirius a hug as well. "Dinner will be served presently."

"How are you?" Harry asked Sirius as I looked about the room to find the remaining seats. There was one chair available.

"You should sit down," I told Sirius before he had a chance to answer Harry, and rose up to my toes to press a kiss against his cheek before walking through the full living room to the kitchen. I knew that Molly would reject any offer of help, so I sat down at the table.

She turned to look over her shoulder and when she saw it was me, she gave me a warm smile. "Congratulations, dear," she told me. "We'll be related now, did you know?"

"Yes, I understand that you share an uncle, and Mr. Weasley's father is on the family tree. I expect I'll be related to rather a large part of wizarding society," I observed.

She chuckled at that and turned back to her dinner preparations. "Have you given any thought to the wedding details?"

"I haven't," I replied. "We've just been engaged since last night, and a good portion of that was spent in the hospital. Or sleeping," I added, tilting my head slightly to the side as I thought about it.

"I'll help you out with that, dear. It can be a bit overwhelming for a young woman, especially when you don't have a lot of family to help out." She gave me a sharp look. "Did you say the hospital?"

"Yes. Someone cursed Sirius. He's doing much better now."

She turned fully, her fiery temper flashing in her eyes. "Luna Lovegood, if that ever happens again you come straight here- _straight_ here, mind- and tell us. It's times like that you need your family around."

"Alright, Molly," I agreed.

She nodded, satisfied. "Will you run and let that lot know dinner's ready?"

I got up and went back into the living room. "Dinner's ready," I said. I wasn't particularly loud, but they all heard me as though they were waiting for me to say it. I stood aside and let the wave of bodies pass me by.

Sirius waited until everyone else had passed through and caught my hand as he neared me. He lifted it to his lips and then drew me with him to the table.

As we neared our seats, Molly cleared her throat in a rather pointed fashion. "Don't you have something to say, Sirius?"

He released my hand and put his arm about my waist, pulling me into his side. "Yes. Luna and I are engaged to be married." He leaned over and gave me a gentle kiss.

The room erupted in a great storm of happy noise. There were shouts and whoops and a wave of bodies pressing into us. Sirius endured rather a lot of back-slapping and hugs and I found myself afloat in a sea of hugs and kisses and tugs on my hand to get a look at my ring. It took a while for everyone to sit back down and then there was a toast to our happiness.

"This is just wonderful," Molly said as everyone settled into their seats. "I hope we get more announcements like this soon." Ron's ears colored up and he glanced at Hermione.

"Have you picked a date yet?" Fleur asked, eyes bright with happiness.

"We haven't talked about it," Sirius answered, "but I was thinking before school starts, maybe the end of August. Give Minnie one less thing to raise her eyebrows at." He looked a question at me and I smiled and gave him a nod.

"That soon?" Audrey asked, and I could feel the disapproval coming across the table.

"Yes, I've discovered that life can be rather _tenuous_." It was impossible to miss the hard inflection in the last word. It was also impossible to miss the color lighting Audrey's face as she turned her head back down to her food. He brought his head close to mine to whisper in my ear. "Does it bother you, love?"

"If it did, I would say so," I assured him.

Dinner progressed in a merry way, with food and laughter and companionship. Mrs. Tonks had kept Teddy with her that evening, and his presence was missed. Shortly after dinner, Sirius said, "We should get back, I'm supposed to get a lot of rest."

There were several more rounds of congratulations and hugs and then we flooed home. Sirius took my hand to help me step out of the fireplace and pulled me against him. "I'm not at all tired," I observed. "I likely shouldn't have slept so long this afternoon. Would you like me to bring you some tea in bed?"

He stood before me, so tall, and then he was leaning down. I rested my hands on his chest for balance and reached up to meet him. His mouth came down on mine and his hands went to the small of my back, holding me so close. I never tired of kissing him, and it was all too soon that he straightened away from me. "I want to take you to bed," he said, his voice low and filled with an urgency that made my knees shiver.

"I'd like that," I told him softly, and then he slipped from me, catching my hand again. He led the way back down my short hallway to my bedroom, and it wasn't for sleep this time, at least not right away.

He pulled me against him and he kissed me again with an intensity that left my head feeling as though it was floating. I ran my hands up his chest, feeling the soft fabric of his shirt; I wanted to feel his skin under my hands. I somewhat reluctantly pulled away from his skillful kiss and looked at the column of buttons running down his chest for a moment. My fingers busied themselves starting at the top of the line just below his throat, and then the next one and the next one until his shirt was completely open.

"That's better," I observed with satisfaction, enjoying the feel of his skin and the fine hair on his torso as I moved my hands up along his chest again. When I reached his shoulders, I slid my hands down over his arms until I freed him from his sleeves and his shirt fell to the floor. "I like you like this."

"I'll try to be so more often," he said in that teasing tone, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. His hands caught in my dress and I raised my arms so he could lift it over my head. "I've been picturing you like this all evening." His hands found my hips, bare now, and he guided me backwards until my legs bumped the edge of the bed. He lifted me then, and set me gently on my bed before coming up to recline beside me.

He explored my exposed skin, first with his eyes, then with his fingers, then with his mouth. The rest of our clothing fell away and our bodies came together, so close as to almost be one. And then he held me close against him and I fell asleep; content, loved, whole.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I can't imagine trying to plan a wedding with Mrs. Weasley, I would elope for sure. Thank you all for reading, and especially for the lovely comments!**

We moved him entirely into my room. Waking up with him every morning brought about a completeness that I hadn't been aware I'd been missing.

July slid into August. Molly and my dad had rather different ideas on what a wedding should be, and both were very determined that they had the right of it. Sirius thought the whole thing was very amusing indeed, and his standard response to any question even remotely wedding-related was, "Whatever Luna wants." He did say he would rather not wear yellow dress robes at the wedding and black was more his color, but that was the only preference he expressed. One night, watching Molly and my dad argue in very pleasant tones with an underlying hardness to them on either side, Sirius leaned his head down to mine and suggested, "We could just elope." He was both serious and teasing.

Apparently, eloping was something that people do when they get tired of the whole rigmarole of a wedding and just wanted to be married. Molly and Mr. Weasley had eloped, so Ginny informed me when I was talking to her about it. It was a little tempting from time to time, such as when Sirius and Molly had a yelling row about traditions and wedding rituals that he was supposed to be doing and wasn't because, as he shouted at her, "Merlin's teeth, Molly, it's not like we're not already sleeping together!"

We worked it all out. We were to get married on the beach behind my little house. There would be a tent ready if it rained. Ginny and Hermione were to be my bridesmaids, and Harry and Bill were to stand up beside Sirius.

One thing I did insist on was the guest list. Molly wanted to invite what seemed like everyone in wizarding society because, "They're all family, dear." I did not. Our rather abbreviated guest list included all of the Weasleys, of course, and Mrs. Tonks with Teddy, and Mr. Ollivander; Headmistress McGonagall and Hagrid as well, and somewhat to my surprise Sirius extended an invitation to the Malfoys. He and Narcissa had started communicating by owl, but this would be the first time he'd seen her in a very long time.

The night before the wedding, we were all sitting in The Burrow. Sunday dinner had been moved to Friday because she was determined that we still have it, despite the fact that we would all be eating together the next day at the wedding. Dinner wound down and Molly said, "You should get some rest now, for the big day."

Sirius took my hand and we were about to go to the floo, when Molly looked up from where she was seated on the couch between Arthur and Bill and her eyebrows went up like they were trying to hide in her hair. "Not together!" she exclaimed, looking between the two of us with some urgency.

We stopped walking and I could see the frown on Sirius' face. "And why not?"

"You're not to see the bride on the day of your wedding until you get married, it's bad luck." A determined look was set on her face and her brown eyes were already starting to flash with anger as they usually did when she and Sirius disagreed and it got loud.

"So we'll go home and go to sleep and then in the morning I _promise_ I'll keep my eyes closed until she leaves the room." He passed her one of his more charming smiles and turned away to the fireplace again.

"No, dear, you know as well as I do, that's not going to work." Her voice called him back around and an angry tempest was starting to gather in his eyes. "Do you want to doom your wedding before it even starts?"

"Luna is not bad luck," he said, his voice starting to get louder. He was trying to draw her into another row.

Fleur was sitting on Bill's other side and her face was twisted with sympathy. She gave me a small shake of her head. She'd done this only a few years earlier and apparently Molly was resolute.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Sirius, it's tradition. I'll go to my house and you go to the townhouse and we'll both have a really bad time sleeping and then we won't be awake enough to cause trouble for Molly tomorrow before the wedding."

He threw his head back and laughed, the angry clouds that had been gathering, dissipated at once. "Alright, love."

"Harry, you should go with Sirius," Molly said.

Harry stilled, looking between both of them. "But I was going to-" Molly turned her fiery scowl on him and he swallowed. "Right. Ron, let's go."

She sat back with a satisfied smile. "I'll send Charlie along when he gets here."

"I don't need-" Sirius started in protest.

"I don't trust you, Sirius," she said, and his frown grew. "You're very... attentive, aren't you? And," she continued, her voice softening, "you didn't have a stag night, did you?"

Sirius gave Molly a great frown and, without a word, strode to the fireplace and flooed to his townhouse. Harry and Ron followed along after, unspoken reluctance passing between them.

Bill unfolded himself from the couch and handed sleeping Victoire to his wife. "I'll see you tomorrow." They shared a warm kiss and a look of understanding and then Bill was gone too.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly. "We didn't have a hen night, did we? I'm sorry, Luna, we just got... And you didn't say anything..." She stood and came over and linked her arm with mine. "I'm sorry, Luna," she repeated.

"It's alright," I replied. "Although I would be rather glad of the company tonight. I'm afraid I find it very hard to sleep alone, now."

Ginny, Hermione and I flooed to my little house. "So," Ginny said as we settled around my living room. "What do you want to do, Luna? Your last night of freedom."

"Freedom from what?" I asked curiously.

Ginny looked at me for a long moment. "I think it's just an expression."

I tilted my head slightly to the side to look at her. "Oh. What usually happens at a hen night? I've never been married before."

"Why don't we just have a night in?" Hermione suggested. "Unless you want to go out to a pub or something."

"I don't want to go out to a pub, thank you. I've already eaten and I'd rather just sit here and have some wine if that's acceptable hen night behaviour." I took my wand from behind my ear and summoned a bottle of wine from the kitchen. I considered my two friends for a moment. "I'm certain that Sirius only got two wine glasses, and there are three of us."

"Bottle's fine, Luna," Ginny said and took it from my hands to uncork it. She took a tasting sip, then nodded appreciatively. "Good wine."

"Sirius is very knowledgeable about, what did he say? The finer things in life?"

They both laughed. "That sounds like something he'd say," Hermione stated with a shake of her head. "So? Excited?"

I nodded earnestly. "I am. Sometimes when I think about it, it seems very fast. We've only really known each other for two months now, and that's not a lot of time. I had imagined that one or both of you would get married before I did; after all, I didn't even have a boyfriend until not very long ago." My comment seemed to cause some discomfort, but no one commented on it. "But he's died the once already, and he seems to live life rather urgently now."

"When are you going to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, then took another drink and handed the bottle over to Hermione.

"Monday. It feels so strange that I'll be going back there again and I won't be attending classes."

"Are you coming back to the Ministry?" Hermione passed me the bottle and I took a deep drink before answering.

"Yes, and I'm looking forward to it." I gave her a small smile. "I've missed you and Kingsley and the interdepartmental memos. I wonder if Hogwarts could use something like that?" I thought about it for a moment. "But then, I don't think so. There's so many doors and staircases, and of course the castle likes to rearrange itself."

We spent the remainder of the evening finishing the bottle of wine and talking. It started to rain partway through the night.

Sirius flooed in the early hours of the morning. Ginny and Hermione had already fallen asleep, but I'd heard him calling softly from the living room. I walked quietly down the hall in my nightdress. When I entered the living room, his head and the tops of his bare shoulders were visible in the fire, and he had something dark tied around his eyes.

I went and knelt down by the green flames. "I'm here," I said quietly.

"There now, love, I can't see you, we'll be fine." His words were jumbled up together; he'd been drinking. "I just missed you and I wanted to apologize."

"I miss you too," I said. "It's rather hard to sleep without you just behind me. What do you have to apologize for?"

"I left this evening without saying goodbye." He did sound very regretful.

"Oh yes, you were a bit sulky, weren't you? That's alright, Sirius. We're getting married in-" I glanced over to check the clock swinging gently on the wall, "- twelve hours. How is your night going?"

"Very lonely. And Bill snores, I finally had to go in there put up that charm you showed me."

I gave him a gentle smile. "He is very loud, isn't he?"

"How did you... Oh, that's right." His frustration blazed up and out of the fire. It always upset him to think about the time I'd spent missing most of my sixth year at Hogwarts.

"I expect I should try to get some more sleep. Molly is going to here very early this morning."

He gave a great sigh. "Alright. I love you, Luna Lovegood."

"I love you, Sirius." I stood and went back to my room for a very fitful sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Wedding day! Thank you for the lovely comments! itsMrsBlack- Mrs. Weasley is my one of my favorite characters. :D I'd love to be a Weasley too, just... You know... Elope. ;)**

August 26 began in a rainy way. It was a pleasant rain with very little wind to drive it sideways. After the night we'd had of a lot to drink and little sleep, we were all a little worse for wear when daylight poured into my house, obscured by rain and clouds though it was. I was glad there was coffee.

Molly arrived very early in the morning with George and the preparations began. I helped Hermione, Ginny, and George set up the great tent directly in the sand while Molly took over my kitchen. When Molly saw me out in the rain, I was scolded and summoned back inside to start getting ready.

I showered and dressed in my yellow dress robes and Ginny helped me arrange all of my long hair on top of my head. I wasn't quite sure what to do after that. Molly refused to let me help out with anything else, and I wasn't allowed out of the room I shared with Sirius for fear he would turn up and see me. Ginny suggested Exploding Snap, but Molly overheard and that wasn't permitted either.

"Why don't I go to the townhouse," Hermione suggested. "I can nip into the library and see how drunk they still are."

"That would be nice," I replied from where I was sitting on the bed with my hands on my knee.

She left. Ginny looked at me for a moment. "Do you want anything else?"

"Wine would be really nice," I said.

Ginny went and got me a glass of wine and Hermione came back a few moments later with a deck of non-exploding cards, a book, and a smile. "Not drunk," she reported. "Going a bit mental. He said he'll be along shortly. He was doing a lot of pacing, said that he found it ironic that now that he desperately wants to hold onto you, he can't _because_ you're getting married."

"I hope he's not giving Harry too bad of a time," I observed.

People started arriving, moving in and out and around the house. The rain came steadily down, but it seemed dry enough under the tent. Finally, Molly popped her head in the door and said, "It's almost time to start, you girls come on out." When I slid of my bed, she gave me a peculiar look. "No shoes, dear?"

"No," I replied. "It gives me a better sense of awareness to what's going on around me and I'd really like to be aware of my wedding."

She pulled me to her as I passed and gave me a kiss on my cheek. "You look beautiful, dear." Her voice was already growing thick with tears. Ginny had assured me that her mum would probably go through at least three handkerchiefs.

She followed us out to the kitchen where my dad was sitting at the table and passed through the back door, out under the tent.

I peered out of the window in my kitchen and saw the assembled guests sitting out of the rain but in a sea of happiness, with Kingsley standing up at the very end of the tent. I'd asked him if he was able to perform the wedding and, with his warm smile, he'd assured me that he was the Minister for Magic and he would make it happen. Sirius stood just before him, in his black dress robes, still and staring at the back door from which I would emerge. Harry stood beside him, a hand on his shoulder, every so often offering a word to him, and Bill stood beside Harry wearing a pleasant expression.

Hermione and Ginny were seated at the table with my dad, lovely in purple. Outside, the musicians began to play, and that was the cue. Ginny and Hermione stood up and prepared to go out the door. I hugged each of them and then they left and I was left alone in my kitchen with my dad.

He was wearing sunshine-yellow robes, as was I. He was very happy for me, but there was a slightly sad cast to his gray eyes as well. I held him tight for a moment and he asked me, "Are you ready, my darling?"

"I don't think one is ever really ready for their own wedding," I observed. "But I expect I'll be a lot happier when Kingsley gets through."

He opened the door for me and we went through. I kept my eyes focused on Sirius. He'd had his hair cut short for the wedding and it rather suited him. He broke into one of his broad grins as soon as he saw me and his eyes were as clear as they'd ever been. I kissed my dad's cheek and slipped my hand from his arm and went to stand beside Sirius, who caught my hand and held it tightly.

Kingsley went through the ceremony and behind us, I could hear Molly sobbing into her handkerchiefs. I had a simple gold band for Sirius and he had a smaller one for me that nestled neatly with the moonstone ring he'd proposed with. Kingsley pronounced us married and I kissed my new husband, and I had never seen Sirius' heart lighter.

Afterward there was dancing. I'm not one for dancing, but it seemed that as the bride, it was one of my duties to dance with everyone. First Sirius, of course, and then my dad, then Harry and Bill and Kingsley and then I decided to just sit down.

The position of the chairs had been adjusted to sit around a long table and I sat down at the head of it. Sirius came to sit beside me, taking my hand and giving me a gentle kiss. "I can't tell you how long last night was without you," he murmured to me. "I think I drove the lads just a bit spare."

"It was rather a long night for me too, Sirius. I much prefer sleeping with you. And, of course, making love is very relaxing. The part afterwards, I mean."

He dropped his head on my shoulder and, after a moment, nuzzled my neck. "What am I going to do with you, love?"

"I imagine you should kiss me just now."

He lifted his head and did just that.

There was food and a cake that we would be cutting later, and lots of butterbeer and champagne. Everyone came around to offer congratulations and give us hugs. I can't remember another day I'd ever had so many hugs. In due time, Headmistress McGonagall came up to where we were sitting and offered her congratulations. "Thank you, Headmistress," I told her, and she patted my hand.

"You must call me Minerva," she corrected. "You are the wife of one of my staff, and it is only appropriate."

"Well, Minnie, did you ever think I'd settle down? With someone other than yourself, of course- but you always turned me down." He was teasing her again.

"Indeed not," she replied briskly, although her green eyes were sparkling. She enjoyed their banter. "Luna, you must have the patience of a saint!" She wasn't talking to me, not really, and so I didn't answer. I just smiled and leaned my head against my husband's shoulder.

Husband. I'd never had a husband before. And now my name was Luna Black, as well. It was going to take some getting used to, not being Luna Lovegood anymore. It was a delightful change, I thought.

"Am I to expect you on the train?" she asked.

"No, it was advised that we be there by the end of the month, and I'm never one to pass up good advice." The corners of his mouth twitched as they did when he was trying not to smile. "We'll be along on Monday."

She gave him a stern look that turned very quickly into a smile and went on to talk to Kingsley.

We cut the cake as were were supposed to. Molly had insisted that it wouldn't do for the bride and groom to be the ones staying around at the end to clean up after the wedding, so we'd decided to spend the night at Sirius' house in London before heading back to my little house on the coast to get our belongings ready to move. "Are you ready to go?" Sirius asked me softly.

"Yes," I replied simply.

"Let me go and have a word with Narcissa, and then we'll be off."

His cousin had spent a good part of the day sitting slightly apart from everyone, but Molly had gone over to her and, in that insistent way Molly has, was getting her to talk. There wasn't anything between them that could be described as friendship, but Molly respected Narcissa for saving Harry's life.

I watched him walk over to her and they began talking, somewhat stiff and reserved. George lowered himself into the seat beside mine. "Never thought I'd see a Malfoy at anything I went to," he told me. I turned my cheek up for him and he kissed it. "Congratulations, Luna. You let me know if he gives you a hard time, alright?"

"He won't," I replied with a quiet smile. Molly had made it clear that she saw me as a part of the family. I'd never had any siblings, but George felt like most like I supposed a brother was supposed to.

I watched Sirius extend his hand to Narcissa and she looked at it for a moment before taking it and then they shook. I could feel the uncertainty rolling out from both of them, but it was at least not unfriendly.

He came back over to me and offered me his hand. I placed mine into it and he gave me one of his broad grins as he drew me up beside him. "Good day, George." He tucked my hand in the crook of his elbow and then we were gone, disapparating out to 12 Grimmauld Place.

The house looked much better than it had the last time I'd been there. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, and the carpeting and wallpaper had all been replaced. "Looks like a proper home, doesn't it, love?" Sirius asked, sounding proud.

"It does," I replied. "It's very beautiful. Are you still thinking about giving it to Ron and Hermione?"

He raked his hands through his hair. "I'm not sure. Narcissa suggested- and I can't begin to tell you how odd it feels to say that- that we keep it in the family; of course they're up there now."

"Are they?" I asked. "Can we see?"

He led me upstairs to the drawing room where the great family tree spread out on the wall. There was Professor Lupin and Teddy, and Arthur and Molly Weasley and all of their children. And there I was, too, linked to Sirius.

"Do you want children?" I asked him, taking it all in.

"As many as you'll let me give you," he assured me with that twinkle in his eye. Sirius surveyed the room, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. "I was miserable here as a boy, but I think if there's anyone who could help me make happy memories here instead, it would be you."

I rose up to kiss his cheek. "Your mother is rather quiet," I observed.

"I hired an artist to paint over her mouth. I had to pay him a little extra for all the trouble she gave him."

"That's nice," I replied. "She's very loud."

His arms slipped behind me as he pulled me against him. "You make a very beautiful bride, love."

"Thank you," I replied. "I'm glad you think so. You're very handsome, but then I always find you handsome."

"Dress robes do nothing for me, then?" he teased me.

"You do look very nice, Sirius, but I still prefer you without anything at all."

The look in his eyes swiftly changed into one I had grown used to, and quite looked forward to, filled with urgency and promise.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: SO FLUFFY! We'll get back to angsty soon enough. ;) Thank you for all of the reviews, you all are awesome.**

We moved out to Hogwarts on the following Monday. I did most of the packing, Sirius not having the patience for it, and he and Harry and Bill did most of the actual moving. I closed up my lovely little house, Sirius suggested that it would be good for use as a summer home and I had to agree. Summer was the best time to enjoy my sunshiny house.

The night before we left, we were out late under the stars, just walking around London. Muggle London and wizarding London both, and I had a very strong feeling that we were being followed. It was a pleasant sort of being followed, though, as though someone was watching out for us. I would have to ask Kingsley about that.

It felt so strange to be back in Hogwarts again. Housing for staff was located almost directly opposite the Ravenclaw tower and it was quite different to be settling in there instead of the girls' dormitory. There were no students yet, of course, they wouldn't be arriving until the end of the week. We were the first non-students to arrive too, besides Minerva, Hagrid, and the caretaker.

We had a small suite of rooms with a bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room. We started unpacking right away, but were halted when Sirius, with that twinkle in his eye, suggested that we try out the bed. That led to a lengthy delay on what turned out to be a very comfortable bed.

That afternoon, a Hogwarts owl dropped a note from Minerva at our window, advising Sirius to find her in an hour for a tour of his classroom and all of the staff-specific areas of the castle. I finished unpacking while he was gone, turning our suite of rooms into our new home, and sent Bunny off to the Ministry with a short letter to let Kingsley know I would be back to work at the Ministry on the following Monday.

"It's a little strange," he told me that evening as we were walking through the grounds, my hand tucked in its familiar place in the crook of his elbow. There was a light drizzle that coated our hair in tiny droplets. "I haven't been here in over twenty years and it's still so much the same."

"There are little differences," I told him. "Parts of the castle needed to be rebuilt after the final battle in the war. They're still rebuilding some of it, I expect."

"I understand you fought in that battle, love." We hadn't really talked a lot about what had happened during that time. He'd spoken to Harry about it, I knew, but it seemed to upset him whenever it came up between us and I hadn't brought it up very often.

"I did. There was a lot of pain and death that day, it's nice to see that Hogwarts has recovered from it." I looked around me. More than the solid structure, there was a greater sense of peace rising up from the castle into the wet autumn air than there had been when I'd returned for my final year of classes.

He stopped walking and turned to face me, his eyes searching mine. "Have you recovered from it?" he asked.

"I think so," I replied slowly. "It was difficult to come back here for my last year of school, but it seems a little easier this time. I think it's knowing that even if something were to happen, I'm not alone."

"You're not alone," he assured me and bent down to press a soft kiss against my lips. "Although I've been told you're fairly good in a duel."

"I am when I know it's coming. I do regret I didn't get that shield charm up in time the night you were cursed." He'd been healed properly in a timely fashion, and he didn't even have a scar on his arm from it, but I did regret that he'd been hurt at all.

"I don't think either one of us were expecting it, love. We were in muggle London and I was trying to propose, if you recall." He gave me another kiss, longer this time, his tongue slipping into my mouth to tease at mine. After a moment, he straightened and there was a twinkle in his eye. "Minnie suggested that we might want to observe _proper decorum_ around the students so that we set a good example."

"Did she?" I asked. "I wasn't aware we were improper."

He threw his head back and laughed. "I'm sure she just means that I should keep my hands to myself."

"You do, though, at least in public. You're very well-mannered, Sirius."

"Good of you to notice, love," he replied in that teasing fashion before leaning over to give me another gentle kiss. "She didn't say it exactly, but she's worried about me giving a good impression. She said she's already had to talk to some of the parents about having an ex-convict teaching here."

I tilted my head slightly to the side, looking up into his gray eyes. They'd taken on a concerned cast. "Their prejudices speak of their own limitations," I reminded him gently. "I expect you'll be one of the better professors here as soon as you're used to it. You're very intelligent and articulate."

"High praise from a Ravenclaw," he teased.

I looked up into his face for a moment. "Are you flirting with me, Sirius?" I asked curiously.

He laughed and laughed and neglected to answer the question. "Who are you going to cheer for at the Quidditch matches when Ravenclaw isn't playing?"

"Gryffindor, of course," I answered with a smile. "I made a great lion hat that roars and I expect I'll wear it. I do love it, but I'm afraid it's not much good for anything else."

He laughed again. "It's my birthday this weekend," he said when he was finished.

"Yes, it's on Sunday. Is there anything you'd like?"

He slipped his arms behind me and drew me close against his body. "I already have everything I want, love," he murmured to me. "But Minnie said she was going to have a bit of a party in the staffroom. I told her I didn't want one and she seemed to take great delight in the fact that I'd be having one anyway. You'll come with me, right?"

"Of course I will," I replied, and rose up on my toes for another kiss, bracing myself on his shoulders. "What's wrong?" I asked as I settled back down on the ground, noting the frustration brewing in his eyes.

"It's silly, love." A sudden embarrassment lifted up from him, taking his eyes from mine to look up at the gray sky.

"It's bothering you, so it must not be that silly." I rested my head against the damp fabric covering his chest and wrapped my arms securely around him.

His chest moved up and down with a great sigh and he lifted a hand from my back, I could feel the droplets of water fall from his hair as he pushed his hand through it. "The last birthday I had was 36. I'm not ready for 41, 41 feels _old_." He paused for a moment. "Not old necessarily, but I didn't get to finish out my 30s. And... Having two decades between us makes me feel a bit like an old lech."

I raised my head from his chest and tilted it back to look up into his face. He was still concentrating on the sky and he shifted as I looked at him. "The healer said your body hasn't aged, do you remember?" His eyes came back to mine, and I gave him a warm smile. "I certainly wouldn't call you old."

He threw his head and laughed. "A lech though, love?" he asked, his gray eyes twinkling now.

"Yes," I replied. "After all, you did interrupt our unpacking this morning in a very insistent way."

"I don't seem to recall you protesting," he said in that teasing way.

"No, and I don't imagine I would. I rather enjoy making love with you." I rose up and pressed my lips gently against his. "I expect this conversation would finish in a much more pleasant way in our rooms."

He laughed again and slipped away from me, taking my hand. Together we walked back to our rooms.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful comments! itsMrsBlack- YES. LOL That's now going into my head-canon for this story, Luna will be taking on the sex-ed classes! :D**

I was walking through the castle later that week, giving Sirius some time to prepare for his classes, when I heard a familiar squeaky voice. "Miss Lovegood, it's good to see you again."

I turned to look behind me and I had to smile at the small man I saw. "It's Mrs. Black now, but I'd rather you call me Luna," I replied, looking down into the face of my former Head of House.

"Oh that's right, I'd heard about that. That's why you're here, of course. Congratulations, Luna. And you must call me Filius." His smile was very warm, as it always was.

"Thank you. It's good to see you again too, Filius." It was. He'd been my favorite professor when I'd been a student at Hogwarts.

"You're not taking the healer training, then?" he asked. He'd done my Career Advice of course, and he'd suggested that I would find more fulfillment from becoming a healer than a wizarding naturalist like my father. I'd agreed and taken all of the appropriate N.E.W.T.s but shortly after I'd left school I'd been discovered in the Ministry, and I hadn't ever started the training.

"No. Things often have a way of working out in just the way you wouldn't expect."

"This is certainly true." He paused, looking up at me for a moment. "What are you doing these days?"

"I work for the Ministry." I paused, considering my statement. "Well, normally I work for the Ministry. Right now I'm helping Sirius get used to being alive again, on behalf of the Ministry, I think."

"Are you going to get back to that, then?" I could tell he had a specific reason for asking, there was a field of determined expectancy about him.

"Yes, I've sent Kingsley an owl. I'll be going back on Monday. I'm rather looking forward to it." He seemed a little disappointed by my answer. "Now, I don't know how much of your time you'll have free, but if you're looking for something to do, I could use a second pair of hands around my classroom. There are a lot of first years this year, and of course I have my other duties." In addition to being the Charms-Master, Head of House for Ravenclaw, and choir master, he was also the Deputy Headmaster. And he was still helping to rebuild and enchant the parts of the castle that still needed it.

"Thank you, Filius, that's a very nice offer. I'll try and help you out as much as I can," I offered in return. "If you need something in particular, let me know and I'll see what I can do."

"Good enough," he replied. "Thank you. I'd like to have you in for tea sometime, Luna."

"That would be nice," I replied. I'd always enjoyed taking tea with him. When I was a younger student especially, having troubles fitting in, he'd been very kind to me.

"Filius, there you are," declared a blond man, rushing up to us on a carpet of urgency. There were several new teachers even since I'd finished school. Some were there temporarily, Sirius told me, including the new D.A.D.A. teacher- Alistair Clark. He spared me a brief glance before settling his attention on the small wizard I'd been conversing with. Then his brown eyes flew back to me and I could see a glimmer of recognition in them. He'd been pointed out to me briefly the previous night at dinner, but we hadn't interacted enough to justify the amount of familiarity in his look. "I wasn't aware that students had been permitted to come to the castle, yet." The urgency disappeared rather suddenly, replaced by some hovering cloud. He knew who I was, and was pretending not to.

"This is Mrs. Black," Filius told him. "The wife of our new Transfiguration professor."

"Really. You hardly look old enough to be married to a professor." Revulsion. That was the cloud that was hanging over him as he spoke to me.

"I am, though," I replied quietly, tilting my head slightly to the side to look up at him.

His eyes moved over me and I looked back curiously. "Extraordinary that the wife of a c-" He shifted to face me more fully. "That the wife of a new professor would be staying at the castle."

"Is it?" I asked. He'd meant to say something else entirely and there was a pinched, self-important look on his face that reminded me of Professor Lockhart. Professor Lockhart had been a man of very little substance.

"It's uncommon, certainly, but it has been known to happen from time to time," Filius interjected. "With the sheer number of first-years this year, we're preferring that all of our staff remain on the grounds as much as possible, and Sirius is lucky enough to have found a lovely young woman willing to accompany him."

I passed him a smile, he was very kind.

Alistair Clark turned his attention back to the other wizard. "Is that so? I know it hasn't happened since I've been to school and I'm fairly certain it-"

I turned and drifted away from them, continuing in the path I'd been going when Filius had stopped me. I didn't have a set destination, but I had no desire to continue that conversation. I found I didn't care for Alistair Clark much at all, he seemed to be a man who spoke a lot and said very little.

Hogwarts was a very different place when it was mostly empty. It was quieter, certainly, and it felt like it was holding its breath in an expectant sort of waiting. The small bit of portable swamp Fred and George had created in the hall and Filius had preserved after they left had survived the last battle and it was still there, sitting just beneath the window. I sat down beside it, letting my fingers drift through the water. I quite liked the tiny patch of swamp, it always felt very peaceful here. Sirius hadn't seen it yet, I had a good feeling he would enjoy it.

* * *

The rest of the staff arrived during the week and then the students arrived on Friday, the very first day of September, and the castle was suddenly filled with life. The castle felt content, it had stopped waiting.

I watched the students milling around, the older ones catching up and greeting their friends, the younger ones afloat in a sea of nerves and wonder. I knew some of the older students, they'd been there when I finished my seventh year just a few months over a year ago. Some of the Ravenclaws especially, I got a few strange looks as though they were wondering why I was there.

Sirius came to stand beside me and slipped his arm around my waist, seeking reassurance. I rested my head on his chest and took his other hand in my own. I could feel the nervousness clinging to him like a wet towel. "This is really happening," he murmured to me.

"It is," I replied quietly. "You'll be wonderful, Sirius."

"I can only hope so, love." He gestured me towards the doors to the Great Hall, and together we walked into the large dining hall, all lit up with floating candles. It was drizzling outside and the ceiling was gray and cloudy, with the falling drops of water suddenly disappearing just above the candle flames.

There was a place for me at the end of the banquet table with the teachers. Sirius pulled out my chair for me and then sat beside me, clutching my hand as he sat in a pool of nerves.

The sorting ceremony came first, and there were a great number of first-year students, as Filius had said. Then came Minerva's speech and announcements and when she introduced Sirius as Professor Black, his hand tightened on mine under the table as everyone's eyes flew to him.

I was surprised that I received my own mention in her speech. "Mrs. Black will also be with us throughout the school year. While she is not a teacher, she is available to call on for help if you are in need of urgent assistance." Minerva gestured back to me and Sirius squeezed my hand again, this time in support.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I know I say it every chapter, but super thank you for reading, and super extra thank you for the comments. I really appreciate it, I'm over the moon that so many people want to actually read this! :D**

"Sirius, we'll be late if we don't leave soon," I told him, tucking my wand into place behind my ear.

He raked his hands through his hair and looked at me for a moment. "I guess we'd better go, then." His lack of enthusiasm was noticeable. "Couldn't we stay here?"

"If we don't go, Minerva is going to come and get you." I tilted my head slightly to the side. "Or she might send a Howler. I've never had a Howler before."

"She'd bloody do it, too," he muttered, running his hands through his hair again. "Alright, love, let's get this over with." He held out his arm to me and I took it and together we left our rooms, headed toward the staffroom.

The halls were filled with students on a day off. There had been no classes yet so, except for the N.E.W.T. students, there wasn't any studying to do. They had no experience of Sirius yet, so they watched him with inquisitive attention.

"Why don't you want to go," I asked him curiously.

"I had hoped to spend my birthday just with you," he replied. "We didn't get a honeymoon, did we?"

"We didn't." I hadn't even really thought about a honeymoon until he mentioned it just then.

"We'll go on Easter holiday, how about that?"

I brought my other hand up to rest on his arm. "That would be nice. I'll speak to Kingsley about it."

He grinned suddenly, raking his free hand through his hair. "We can go anywhere you want, love. Where would you like to go?"

"Sweden," I answered quickly. "I'd like to walk all over Sweden."

His grin faltered a little, replaced by a thin fog of disappointment. "I was hoping you would choose somewhere warmer, love. Because," he ducked his head down to murmur in my ear, "I'd really love to see you in a bikini."

"I expect I can find somewhere to wear a bikini in Sweden," I told him seriously. "I could wear one here, if you'd like. In our rooms, I mean, I don't think Minerva would approve of me walking about the castle in one."

"And this is why I wanted to spend my birthday alone with you," he muttered before straightening away from me.

We continued on our way in a comfortable silence. Sirius paused for a moment before the door to the staffroom and raked his free hand through his soft hair. The stone gargoyles guarding the entrance paid us no mind. "Right," he muttered, then pushed the heavy door open.

Most of the rest of the staff was already there. There were cries of, "Happy birthday!" and in short order, Hagrid brought Sirius a cup that smelled like mead.

"There, now," Hagrid said. "How old are yeh?"

"We're going with 37," Sirius replied, a flash of mischief chasing through his eyes. I recalled the conversation Sirius and I had earlier that week about that very thing.

I squeezed his arm and drifted away from the conversation to take a look around the room; I'd never seen it whole before. Hagrid wasn't one of my favorite conversation partners, but I knew he and Sirius were fond of each other, so I let them be. I came just in front of a large wardrobe and stopped, peering at it. It was made of dark wood and was a little scuffed along the top and sides.

"I've been told that used to hold a boggart," came a voice from slightly behind me and to my left. I turned toward the voice and Professor Clark was there, looking at me in a very disapproving fashion. He was around the same height as Minerva and had blond hair that did nothing to dispel his similarities to Professor Lockhart. Although, Professor Lockhart had fairly screamed of incompetence, and Professor Clark had a quiet confidence that suggested he was capable of filling the position.

"I've heard that as well," I replied.

"I wonder if it's still in there," he said, and there was a darker cast surrounding his voice.

"I wouldn't expect it to be. That would be rather a long time for it to house a boggart without someone removing it, especially when the staffroom had to be rebuilt." I moved away from the wardrobe, intent on the cake that was sitting on one of the tables and he put himself directly in my path. I stopped and looked up at him, waiting for him to get to what he wanted.

"You know they're all making eyes at him," he informed me, a condescending smirk settling over his face like a twisted mask.

"Who is?" I asked politely, ready to be finished with the conversation.

"The students are making eyes at your new husband. And I've heard he had _quite_ the reputation."

I looked over to where Sirius was in conversation with Professor Slughorn. "Are they? I wonder what kind; conjuring eyes wasn't a part of the lessons when I was here." I looked back to Professor Clark and noticed a decidedly unfriendly look behind his eyes. "But then, aren't body parts one of the Five Principle Exceptions to Gamp's Law?"

I heard a squeaky laugh from beside and turned and looked down to see Filius. "Quite right, Luna. If you'll excuse us," he said to Professor Clark and gestured me away. I fell in step beside him as he steered me on my original path back to the cake. "I asked for your help last week if you recall." I could feel Professor Clark's gaze, heavy with unfriendliness, on my back.

"Yes," I replied as we came over to where the cake was. I took a piece and handed it down to Filius before getting a piece for myself and settling down into one of the dark wood chairs.

"I would like to extend the offer again, for two reasons this time." I tilted my head slightly to the side as I waited for him to tell me. "The first is, as I said, I am quite swamped with the sheer number of first-year students this year, in addition to my other duties at the school."

"Yes, the Sorting Ceremony went on for quite some time." It hadn't been nearly that long when I'd started at Hogwarts, nor at any of my successive years at school.

"The other is, I don't know how much you've heard, but there is still a certain amount of resistance to Sirius being employed here." I nodded. "If you were the Assistant Charms-Mistress, there would be a lot less for the jaws to wag over. We'll work it out if you decline, but it would make certain things easier. While it has been done in the past, it is certainly not common for the wives or husbands of our staff to live here at the castle."

"I understand that Assistant Professors aren't common, either," I said slowly. I remembered reading about some in Hogwarts: A History, but there hadn't been one at the school in a great many years.

"This is true," he said, approval floating out on his voice. "I would give you the first year classes and we could share the position just as Firenze and Sybill did with Divination for a time." I nodded. "But you're to go back to the Ministry, and this is the less scandalous option. And," his voice became cloaked in some regret, "I'm afraid I really could use the help."

"What would my duties be?" I asked, tilting my head slightly to the side as I regarded him.

"For the time, helping me grade the first year papers. You were always very good with Charms, I think you're more than qualified." He gave me a measuring look. "Next year, I would like you to be more involved, but that discussion can wait for another time."

I studied his face as I thought about it. He was looking at me with an earnest hopefulness. "I'll help you, Filius."

"Excellent," he squeaked, his lined face breaking into an easy smile. "Come by my office on Monday when you can. We'll have to get you in to meet the students, but that can happen at a later time."

Sirius wandered over just then and brushed his hand across my back. "Hello, Filius." To me he said, "You had your decision-making face on, love."

"I'm to be the Assistant Charms-Mistress," I told him. "Do I have a decision-making face?"

"Yes, and it's quite fetching." He spared a glance for my companion. "Sorry, Filius."

"Not at all, Sirius, you're only young once. Happy birthday," the Deputy Headmaster said, offering Sirius his hand. They shook before the smaller man moved away.

"Did well in Charms, did you?" Sirius asked, bracing himself on the back of the chair while he leaned over to talk to me.

"Yes," I replied. "I got an O on the Charms N.E.W.T."

"Really?" A look of admiration filled his gray eyes and his pride settled around me like a cloak. "Any others?" We'd never discussed our academic achievements before.

"Potions, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and an E in Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures."

"All of that?" he asked, and I could tell he was impressed.

"Yes," I replied. "My dad insisted on Care of Magical Creatures, but I had thought to become a healer. But, then I was discovered walking about the Ministry just over a year ago now, and now I'm doing all of this."

"Well, I did marry a smart one," Sirius said, and there was that twinkle in his eyes. "Why were you wandering about in the Ministry?"

"It felt like the right place to be at the time," I answered. That was the same answer I'd given Kingsley when he'd asked. He'd given me a measuring look and told Auror Robards- who was the auror who had brought me to him- that I was to have a job.

Minerva came up to us. "Nervous, Sirius?"

"Yes," he admitted, straightening and raking his hands through his short hair. "I'm confident on the subject matter, of course, but the idea of trying to instill that into students is a bit intimidating. I remember what I was like at that age."

Her lips moved into a knowing smile. "That's one of the reasons I asked you to take the position. You have... first-hand experience with troublemakers." She paused and her smile grew into one of comfort. "If you get nervous in class, just show the younger years your transformation," she advised.

I nodded. "We were all really quite impressed when you did that," I said, remembering.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thank you for the lovely comments! The chapter I had intended to immediately follow this one didn't really fit in the story this late in the process, so it's been published separately and can be found on my profile, called "Happy Accident"  
**

When I woke up, Sirius was already up, pacing around the room on a thick carpet of nerves. He looked over when he saw me stir. "Sorry, love, did I wake you?"

"No," I replied, sitting up to look at him. I took in the tousled hair that meant he'd been pushing his hands through it enough that it refused to sit flat against his head. "Did you sleep?"

"A bit," he admitted. "This is a big... I've never been expected to be _responsible_ before."

I slid out of bed and went over to him, running my hands up his bare chest. "You'll do fine," I assured him gently. "Just relax and let them know that you'll be learning together. If there's one thing students appreciate from their professors, it's honesty." I rose up and gave him a gentle kiss and when I settled back down flat on my feet, the tumult in his eyes had eased a bit.

"If only I could keep you with me today," he said as he lifted my hand from his shoulder and brought it up between us to kiss. "Then again," he continued, his eyes growing appreciative as he looked me over, "I'd likely be tempted to pull you into a broom cupboard to take advantage of you."

"I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for broom cupboard dalliances, but right now we need to get ready to go down to breakfast," I said, pulling away from him. "It's the first day of class, after all."

His lips twitched up at the corners as he watched me move around the room. "Alright, but only if you promise to show me what you mean by 'broom cupboard dalliances' later."

We got ready for the day. Sirius was a little cross about wearing a robe to teach in instead of his preferred blazer, especially when he caught sight of the dress I put on. "Why don't you have to wear robes to work?" he asked, frowning. "I thought the Ministry was strict about that sort of thing."

"I don't like them," I replied. "And Kingsley insisted that I was to be comfortable. More people notice me not wearing shoes than they do me not wearing robes."

He glanced down at my bare feet. "I don't like them either, but I still have to wear them."

"I expect that next year, when you're a little more settled, you'll be able to wear what you like. Minerva is very concerned about the impression you make." I reached up and brushed a stray lock of his soft black hair from his forehead. "You were still convicted of being an unregistered animagus and if enough of the parents complain to the board of governors, they might look at removing you from your post."

"Changing into a dog doesn't make me a risk to children!" he snapped at me, thunder gathering in his gray eyes.

"No, it doesn't, which is why Minerva offered you the position anyway." I looked up at him calmly, resting my hands on his shoulders, covered as they were in the detested robes. "Do you know what happened with Hagrid? He's back to teaching now, but he was removed from his post for a time and while he had his share of responsibility in that situation, it was more a matter of a foolish child with an overly-influential parent. In addition to you being very well-suited for this position, Minerva cares for you and would do as much as she can to ensure that you keep it. Even if that means requiring you to wear robes to teach in."

"Why are you always so reasonable?" he asked crossly, but the clouds were leaving his eyes. "It's not any good to argue with you when you refuse to argue back."

"If you'd like a good row, I'm sure we could go and visit Molly this weekend," I suggested seriously. "I don't know what you two could argue over, but I'm certain you could find something."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Let's get down to breakfast, love," he said, his good humor restored.

We went out to breakfast and there was an expectant nervousness, thick like a carpet on the floor of the Great Hall. That's how it was the first day of classes every year. It was easy to get swept up in it, Sirius especially so. He took my hand and held it tightly under the table throughout the meal. We ate and then I pressed Sirius' hand tenderly, then rose and went to the staffroom to floo out to the Ministry.

I didn't notice Sirius behind me, but he used his much longer legs to his advantage, catching up to me just as I was passing through the staffroom door. "I need a goodbye kiss," he declared, his voice low. He dropped his hands to my hips and guided me backwards until my back met the wall. He looked down at me for a moment, his eyes dark with wanting, and then he lowered his head and kissed me deeply until my head felt like it was about to float off.

"There," he said, stepping back after a while. "Now I'm ready to start my day."

"I hope you have a pleasant day," I bade him sincerely. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked across to the fireplace and took the dish of floo powder down. I flooed directly into Kingsley's office.

My dear friend looked over to me as I stepped out of the fireplace and his face broke into a warm smile. "Luna! It's good to see you back here, my dear." He rose from his chair and walked over to me, reaching out to place his hand on my upper arm.

"It's nice to be back," I answered and reached up to squeeze his hand. He stepped away from me and we both went over to sit down, he behind his desk again and me in one of the chairs in front of it. I took in his appearance. His lips weren't even pursed. This seemed like a good time to ask my question, when he was at ease. "Kingsley, am I awfully handsy with you?"

He looked at me for a moment, lips pursed as the thoughts swirled around in his head. "Luna," he said in his slow, deep voice, after a long moment. "There are those who don't understand the nature of your work here."

"I know," I replied. "I've heard them. It seems as though sometimes people think I don't hear very well."

"Yes." He looked rather unhappy at that. "And it wouldn't matter if we were never in each other's company, there would still be talk about inappropriateness between us." He rubbed his hand over his forehead and the hat resettled over his right eye. "I've reassigned Robards. I am very troubled by what's been happening with you and Mr. Black and I'm afraid he wasn't troubled enough." There was a tension floating just below the surface of his deep voice. "There haven't been any further issues, have there?"

"Not since the night in London," I replied. "I imagine Hogwarts will be one of the safest places we could be." I looked into his dark eyes. "Did Hermione tell you what she's looked into?"

"Yes," he replied slowly. "We've been looking into it as well. There is no known spell that does exactly what happened to you. If we were able to see the spell- but then if we could do that, we would already know what was going on."

I watched him as he got up and walked around to sit on the edge of the desk, folding his arms over his chest. "Did you have someone follow us the last night we went out about London?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Yes," he replied, unashamed. "Potter suggested it, and I agreed that it was a good idea."

"That was nice, thank you. I felt very safe."

He watched me for a moment and I could see more thoughts tumbling around behind his eyes. "I understand that you've taken a position at Hogwarts as well."

"Yes," I replied. "Only nominally. I'm helping grade papers, it won't interfere with my position here."

"That's good. You'll be needed for a much more specific task here very soon."

"What would that be?" I asked, curious.

"Lucius Malfoy will be taking on a position here." He paused, looking down at me. "Isn't he your cousin?"

"It seems as though a good portion of wizarding society is a cousin of some sort now, Kingsley," I observed. "I wouldn't be surprised to learn that you and I are distantly related."

He chuckled at that, the deep sound rolling across the room like a wave. "Yes, the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black spreads very far, indeed." He paused, concern coming into his features. "Will working with Malfoy be uncomfortable for you after your incarceration at his estate?"

"No," I replied, tilting my head slightly to the side as I thought about it. "He never treated me poorly, and I did receive restitution for that stay."

He gave a short nod. "Good. In addition to wanting him somewhere we can keep an eye on him, he will fill a gap we have in the Department of International Magical Cooperation."

"What would my duties be?" I asked curiously.

"You would be his assistant, Luna. I'm not sure the details of what that would entail, but I imagine it would be much the same to what you are doing now, just specifically for him." He made a dissatisfied face and I could feel unease spreading out around him. "I fear we are quite under-utilizing your talents here, and I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't really thought about that until you were offered a position at Hogwarts."

"That's true," I replied evenly. "You are. But if you weren't, then I very likely wouldn't be sitting with you, having this conversation. Nor would I be married to Sirius, which is one of the happiest things I've done." I reached forward and placed my hand on his knee. "It all works out in the end, Kingsley, it just might not be the way you expected it to when you started."

"Wise words indeed." He pressed his hand over mine.

"That was the last thing my mum said to me before she died. And it's true. I miss her very much, but I have a large family and several very dear friends that I may not have otherwise had."

"Are you content with your work here, Luna?" he asked after another moment.

"For the time being," I replied. "If I'm not, I'll come to you with it. Although I suspect Filius wants to prepare me to take over his position when he becomes the next Headmaster."

Kingsley shifted on the desk. "Is that something you would like to do?" he asked.

I tilted my head slightly to the side. "I'm not sure, Kingsley," I replied honestly. "There would be a lot to consider."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: We are four or five chapters out from the end! Thank you for sticking with me and, as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

We settled into a comfortable sort of routine. We would get up and spend some time together in our rooms before going down for breakfast. After we ate, Sirius would walk me to the staffroom and kiss me goodbye and I would floo to the Ministry. I would arrive back to the school after I was done working and I would set up the Charms classroom for the next day, and then I would find Sirius in the Transfiguration department and we would go down to dinner together. Evenings were, more often than not, spent looking over homework and grading theory papers. This led to a lot of late nights and tired mornings, because Sirius was an attentive husband and I greatly enjoyed the time we spent together in our bed.

Weekends were spent catching up on sleep and spending time together as much as we could, but Sirius was finding himself taking a lot of time with his N.E.W.T. students and Filius had asked me to be available to assist the Charms students. Sometimes it seemed like we spent even less time together on the weekend than we did during the week, although that was just silly.

Two days before Halloween, we were standing in the courtyard just before the great front doors to the castle. "Remember, Sirius, you two are supposed to set a good example." Minerva gave him a hard look and the grin he gave back was full of mischief.

"Of course, Minnie." We were going to Hogsmeade, ostensibly to keep an eye on the students on their weekend trip. "I always set a good example."

She sniffed and turned her attention to me, wrapped up in my cloak beside him. "I can only hope you'll keep him out of trouble, Luna."

"I'll do my best," I promised. "But sometimes he does get a little carried away." Like the day he'd had his sixth year class transfigure their desks into pigs and there had been a bit of a stampede. I'd come home after my day at the Ministry to help him and the class clean up.

He offered me his arm and I looped my hands around his elbow. Together we walked along the well-worn path to Hogsmeade. Occasionally, a student or two would run by us on their way to the little village, tossing a greeting to us as we went. Sirius had turned out to be rather a popular teacher; knowledgeable, fair, and willing to turn desks into pigs in the name of educational experimentation.

His head came down closer to mine. "We haven't had a date in a while, love," he murmured.

"It's true," I replied. "We've both been busy, though." It was true. Filius was depending on me as much as he could. I didn't mind, he was taking on a lot of duties for the school. "It's nice to get out with you, though."

He pressed his free hand over mine. "I thought we could go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. According to Harry, that's where all the couples go."

"We are a couple," I observed. "We should stop in and see Aberforth as well, Sirius." I hadn't seen him since Hogsmeade trips in my final year of school.

"Who's Aberforth?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore's brother," I replied. "He fought with us at Hogwarts. He's the barman at the Hog's Head Inn."

"Aberforth... Oh, that's right," Sirius said after a moment. "He was one of the Order the first time around. Another one of your dear friends?"

"No. He let us into the castle, though. It's good to catch up with the people you fought beside from time to time. It helps it seem a little more real."

Just as Harry said, Madam Puddifoot's seemed filled with couples. I hadn't really spent any time in there during my years at Hogwarts, both of my previous relationship experiences had taken place away from the school. Sirius pushed the door open and a small bell just over the door jangled out loudly in the chill autumn air.

It was very crowded, and lace dripped from every available surface as though there were a great colony of crochet spiders taking over the place. "You're not welcome in here." We were greeted in an unkindly fashion by a rounded, black-haired witch who was standing just behind the register. She was scowling at Sirius and even from the doorway, I could feel her unfriendliness reaching out across the room.

"I beg your pardon?" he questioned, his elegant voice filling with a disbelieving sort of being offended. I could feel the muscles in his arm growing taut with tension.

"Don't want the likes of you in here, scaring away my customers." Her wide face was drawn together in a fashion bordering hostility and her hands settled squarely on her hips.

I took a look around the room. No one even seemed to be paying attention to Sirius. Although, the unkind words from the witch were starting to draw looks in her direction. "I don't think anyone is scared," I pointed out.

"I don't need no murderers in here. Away with you before I have to take out my wand." Her glare encompassed me as well.

Sirius made for his wand, but I gently pulled on his arm. "There's no use staying where we're not wanted, Sirius," I told him quietly. "It would be time better spent, going where we're welcome than fretting away where we're not."

He let me draw him away from the door and it closed behind us with a distinctly unfriendly bang. "I can't believe it," he muttered, his eyes filling with dark clouds. "This is the last place I expected to get that."

The door opened and shut in front of us and some of the students came out, bundled in cloaks against the chill fall air. "It's not right, Professor," someone said, and there were general noises of agreement.

Sirius' eyes calmed and he even managed a smile, cheered by the support of his students. "I tell you what, since you all left your coffee and what-have-you, I'll buy you all a drink at the Hog's Head."

There were whoops and cheers and a small stampede of students down the hill to the Hog's Head. "Butterbeer!" Sirius called after them. "I hope they heard me," he said to me and we started walking down after them.

"That was very generous of you," I observed.

He looked down at me as though he was trying to read my comment. "It means a lot to me that they were willing to leave their good time because of what happened. Do you object?" His voice struck the air like sparks.

"Not at all," I replied, coming to a stop. He stopped as well, turning toward me, and I slipped my arms around his waist, pressing myself close against him.

After a moment, he slid his hands beneath my cloak, behind my back, and he leaned down to nuzzle my hair. "I'm sorry, love."

"It's alright, Sirius." I pulled back enough to rise up and gently kiss his cheek. "It was very unsettling for that to happen, especially in a place like this."

His arms tightened around my waist and he lifted me off of my feet, spinning me around until I laughed. "You are too good to me," he said, settling me back on my feet again.

I took his hand and leaned my head against his arm, smiling all the way down to the Hog's Head.

It was busy, and we'd just sent a good number of students down there. Sirius and I walked over to where a familiar gray-haired man was standing behind the bar, wearing a slight scowl. "Luna. Are you who this lot is saying is buying a round?"

"That would be us," I assured him. "As long as it's butterbeer."

Aberforth, grumbling underneath his breath, started pouring mugs of butterbeer and passing them out to the students. When he was done, he turned toward my husband. "You're familiar," he said bluntly.

"Sirius Black; we were in the Order together, what... 20 years ago?"

The older wizard looked at him critically for a moment before nodding. "Thereabouts. I remember you. Rich fellow, very fond of the ladies. You had a flying motorcycle."

"Just the one lady now," Sirius replied, his eyes twinkling. He knew that I was very amused by his skirt-chasing reputation. After all, I got to benefit from his knowledge and experience. "And Arthur Weasley has the motorcycle."

Aberforth's eyes settled on the ring on Sirius' left hand and he grunted. "You drinking anything?"

"Your finest mead for me. Anything for you, love?"

"Butterbeer please, Aberforth," I requested.

Aberforth moved around behind the bar, getting our drinks. "What're you doing back here, Luna? Thought you were done with school."

"I am," I replied as I took the mug of butterbeer. "But my husband is a professor at the school and I very much enjoy living with him."

Sirius' hand settled on my hip, pulling me close against him as he kissed the top of my head.

"Oi, Professor!" someone shouted.

"This is my wife!" he shouted back and there was laughter.

"You still keep up with that Potter fellow?" Aberforth asked me when it quieted down a little.

"I do," I replied. "He's a dear friend of mine."

"Doing alright, is he?"

I nodded. "He's training to be an auror now."

"Good. Glad to see he's making something of himself." He didn't sound very glad, but his blue eyes softened just a little.

We were walking back to the castle that night, our breath fogging in the cold air, when I asked Sirius, "Are you going to tell Minerva what happened?"

"I don't see why I should," he replied quietly. "You said it, love, there's no point in wasting time where I'm not wanted. Besides, I think we had a pretty good day."

I rested my head against his upper arm. "We did."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Dun dun DUNNNNNNNNNNNN. Thank you for the reviews! :D**

The first Quidditch game of the year was very exciting. I wore my lion hat which made Sirius laugh and we cheered for Gryffindor, of course. Slytherin won, but the game was very close, right up until the end. The days proceeded as they naturally did until the Tuesday before the next big Quidditch game.

I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into the Charms classroom. It was empty, as I'd expected it to be. Filius had gone back to his office or his room, and I was just there to set up the room for the following morning's lesson. The lights were still lit, I'd put them out when I was through.

It was wrong, though. There was a thick footing of unease on the floor, almost a feeling of violence. I took my wand from behind my ear and flicked it in front of me, wordlessly activating the shield charm.

Just in time. I saw the curse bounce off of the bubble of blue light and looked about me curiously.

"Finally caught on, did you?" an unpleasantly familiar voice said. Alistair Clark emerged from the shadow behind the podium Filius used to teach from.

"You broke my ankle," I observed. "Twice."

"Yeah," he replied, steadily advancing on me. I stayed where I was, shield charm between us, watching him calmly. "And your _husband's_ nose."

"It's a rather curious curse," I said. "Is the effect that it breaks bones?"

He frowned, as though he weren't expecting me to stand there and converse with him. "Smashes them, like being hit with a hammer."

"That would explain why I fell, then." And the pain. There had been a lot of pain.

He stared at me, then shook much the same way Sirius did when he shook water from his fur as a dog. "You're going to come with me," he said.

"I don't think so," I replied evenly. "That just doesn't seem like a good idea right now."

His scowl deepened. "I wasn't asking."

"I'm going to have to insist."

He made to move toward me and I cast a stunning spell at him, which he deflected. "I'm warning you, witch, this will go very badly for you if you don't do as I say."

"I doubt that," I replied, and my calmness seemed to irritate him further.

He shot a spell at me and it bounced harmlessly off my shield charm. He screamed his frustration- no words, just pure noise. He shot another spell at me and I deflected it with my own.

"I don't know what you expect to do," I said. "I'm between you and the door and I don't think you're going to be able to get past me."

He fired another spell at me and I deflected that as well. "Murderer's whore!" he shouted at me.

"I don't know where you heard that, but Sirius hasn't killed anyone." I fired a body-bind curse at him and he blocked it. "He was framed and the Ministry cleared his name."

"Liar!" he screamed. "It's all lies!" He fired another spell and it went wide of me, catching a student that had stepped into the doorway, likely drawn by the noise. She went rigid and fell backward. While I was distracted, Professor Clark ran past me and out the door, but not until after I hit him with disarming charm. His wand flew up into the air and he abandoned it to clatter loudly on the cold stone floor of the classroom in his haste to flee.

I rushed over to the fallen student, pausing only to grab Professor Clark's wand along the way. "You're alright," I told her pleasantly and then cast the counter-curse. She sat up with a gasp. "It's a body-bind curse. We should get you to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey can look you over."

"Professor Clark!" she exclaimed, her eyes wild.

"Yes," I told her. "I'll just be a moment and then we'll get going." I stood up and held my wand before me. _"Expecto Patronum!" _Instead of the hare I was used to, a large dog came out. "Oh," I said, looking at it for a moment in fascination. "That's different." I sent it off with a message for Sirius, Filius and Minerva and then turned to the student. I crouched down beside her, helping her to her feet and draping her arm over my shoulder to help her unsteady steps.

I got the student down to the hospital wing. We drew looks, but no one came up to us. Poppy was in her office and she looked up, alarmed, when I came in. "Luna, what's this?"

"Body-bind curse, I expect." I helped the student over to a bed. "What's your name?" I asked her kindly.

"Powell. J-Jenny Powell."

Poppy looked Jenny over and pronounced her fit, but shaken. Shortly after she finished, Filius came rushing into the matron's office.

"What happened, Miss Powell?" he asked gently.

"P-Professor Clark cast a curse at me." She was as white as the sheet she was sitting on and was shaking just a little, vibrating with disbelief. A teacher had done this to her. You were supposed to be able to trust teachers.

"Body-bind," I added helpfully, and Filius frowned at me as though noticing me for the first time.

"Luna." He gestured to me and we went a little way away where we could talk without being overheard. "What happened?"

"It's Alistair Clark, Filius," I replied quietly. "He's the one who's been cursing Sirius and me."

"You're sure, now? Did you send a message to Minerva as well?" At my nod, he nodded as well. "Good enough. Did you send a message to Sirius?"

"Yes. He should be in his classroom just now, it isn't far. I always meet him there to go down for dinner."

Minerva came in just a moment later, worry following her every footstep. "Luna," she said. "What's happened?"

"Alistair Clark is the one who's been cursing Sirius and I. He attacked me in the Charms class but I held him off." A flicker of pride broke over Filius' face as he shifted. "I have his wand."

"My goodness," she said, taking the wand from me. "Do you know where Alistair is now?"

"No," I replied. "He ran out of the Charms room after putting a body-bind curse on Miss Powell, and I wasn't able to see what direction he went in."

"The students will be gathering for dinner," she said. "Filius, I need you to go down there and keep the students there. Send staff to round up any strays and keep them in the great hall until Alistair is found." She paused for a moment. "If it takes long enough to find him, we may need to keep them in there for the night."

The Charms-Master nodded and, with a glance at me, went out to do as he was bidden.

"Luna, is the Minister still in?" Minerva asked me urgently.

"He was when I left," I replied. "He should still be there, he's there until quite late in the evening most nights."

"We'll have to floo him, come with me." We went back out to where Miss Powell was still sitting on the bed. "Go on down to dinner," Minerva urged her gently.

I followed the headmistress out of the hospital wing and down the stairs to the staffroom. It was empty when we stepped inside and she went over to the fireplace to floo Kingsley. I didn't hear what was said, but they had a quick conversation.

"He's sending aurors," she told me, worry and relief battling in her voice.

"Sirius hasn't come yet," I observed quietly. "The transfiguration department isn't that far from here."

She reached over and patted my shoulder, saying nothing.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: The search is on!**

The green flames in the fireplace flared and then Auror Robards stepped out, followed by the auror that had talked to Sirius and I at St. Mungo's, then Harry, then three more aurors. Harry immediately came over to me and ducked his head down to talk to me. "Are you alright?" he murmured.

I nodded, watching as Auror Robards stopped just in front of Minerva, impatience and irritation closely following him like a second cloak. "Headmistress," he addressed her, "where are the students?" He had a very cross look on his face.

"In the great hall," she replied. "We're keeping them there until Alistair is found." I could hear the concern taking up her words.

"Excellent." He turned his eyes towards me. "Miss L-" he stopped himself short. "Mrs. Black, what exactly happened?"

Harry placed a comforting hand on my back, just between my shoulders. I looked up at Auror Robards. "I went into the Charms classroom, just as I do every day after I leave the Ministry. I help Filius out with the class, you see, and Alistair Clark was waiting for me." He grunted, waiting for me to go on. "He started throwing curses at me and yelling all sorts of things, and then one of the students came into the door and he cursed her. She fell and he ran and I disarmed him, so now at least he shouldn't have a wand."

Minerva held out the wand I'd given her. "This is the wand."

He took it and frowned at it for a moment. "Where did he run off to, then?" he asked, turning the frown back to me.

"I didn't see," I replied, feeling a great deal of regret. "I was concerned about Miss Powell."

He grunted again, a distinctly dissatisfied note in the abrupt noise. "Right. Potter, you stay on this floor, make sure the students stay in the great hall and anyone else stays out. Barnes and Ward, look below. Cooper and McNeil, work your way up." Harry squeezed my shoulder and the five men left the room. "Mrs. Black," he said, turning to me and giving me a hard look. "You'll need to go down to the Great Hall as well."

"No," I replied earnestly. "I'll need to go and find my husband. He hasn't turned up yet and I'm rather worried about him."

"Mrs. Black," he repeated, speaking through gritted teeth. "You _will_ go down to the dining hall and stay there, if I have to hex you to do it."

"I must _insist _that you not hex my staff," Minerva broke in drily, seemingly very amused with the whole interaction.

He scowled at me and I looked back, head tilted slightly to the side. "Sirius would have long since been here if he was where he ought to be. I need to find him. I already held Professor Clark off once and I'm ready to do the same again." I paused, meeting his eyes evenly. "I'm afraid I don't see that you have much choice, Auror Robards."

He turned his glare to Minerva for a moment, and then back to me. "Very well," he acquiesced begrudgingly, unhappiness bordering on hostility dripping from his voice to the floor. "You will come with me, Mrs. Black. If you're going to insist on being stupid, you'll at least do it where I can keep an eye on you."

"I'll send a patronus when we find him," I told Minerva and she nodded. She was concerned about Sirius as well, I could see the deep worry lines etching her face.

Auror Robards whirled from me and left the room and I picked up my feet to follow quickly after him. We passed by the large doors to the Great Hall, which were locked. Harry was moving back and forth in front of them, his eyes moving quickly around.

"Did you see Black in there?" Auror Robards demanded.

"Sirius? No," Harry replied, his eyes flicking to me as worry dimmed the spark behind his green eyes. "Is he missing, Luna?"

I nodded. "It's alright, Harry, I'm going to find him."

He didn't have a chance to answer before the Head Auror was moving away again, determined strides that I almost had to run to keep up with. "You live on the grounds, do you not?" he asked me as I moved up beside him again.

"Yes," I replied. "We have a suite."

"We'll check your rooms," the auror informed me. "When was the last time you saw Mr. Black?"

"This morning when he kissed me goodbye in the staffroom."

"Did you speak to him at all today?" he asked, his voice snapping out with impatience.

"No, I typically don't. His classes keep him very busy during the day."

He had no more questions for me. I led him to the suite I shared with Sirius, and it looked just as it had when we'd left that morning. It was empty, as I had expected it to be. I grabbed a cloak and some shoes before we left it and continued moving through the grounds until we came to Hagrid's hut. The auror knocked briefly on the door.

"He's not in," I said, pointing to the smokeless chimney. "He'll be at dinner."

Auror Robards turned to me with a scowl. "_Homenum Revelio,"_ he said, glancing over the hut, and I could almost feel the frustration reaching off of him like angry sea grass. He started moving again and we walked the grounds again. I used a long branch to press the knot on the trunk to make the Whomping Willow stop trying to hot us, and we slipped under the Whomping Willow and checked the Shrieking Shack before heading back to the school. It was long past dark by the time we walked back up the long stairs to the front door.

The auror who had been addressed as Barnes and Ward were standing before the door to the Great Hall, having a quiet word with Harry and Minerva. "Nothing below," Ward said.

"Did you see a dog?" I asked.

"A dog?" he asked, somewhat taken aback.

"His animagus form," I explained. "He's a large black dog, and he would be the only dog in the castle."

"No, I don't... No. No dogs." Barnes shook his head in agreement.

Cooper and McNeil came down to where we were as well. "No one up there, though I didn't have the passwords to search the House towers."

"We just had students come from up there," Minerva said, and Auror Robards nodded.

"Madam Puddifoot's," I said after a moment, drawing everyone's eyes to me. "When we went to Hogsmeade, Madam Puddifoot made us leave her tea house. She called him a murderer. Professor Clark called me a murderer's whore."

"That can't have been the first time someone's called him that," Auror Robards said, giving me a great scowl.

"That's certainly true," I replied. "But usually it's whispered to a friend instead of directly to him. Most people don't challenge Sirius head-on." I looked at him evenly. "He's very tall, you see, and he has a bit of a temper and his eyes get all filled up with thunder."

"It's likely unrelated, but I'll have a look," Auror Robards decided. "It's not as though we have anything else to go on right now." He was very frustrated. He didn't care for me very much, but more than that, he was determined to find Alistair Clark.

"We can floo there, to the Hog's Head Inn." I said. "There's a fireplace in the dining room."

He scowled at me, but didn't contradict me.

Minerva turned back to the doors in a cloud of unease. "I'll let the staff know to settle the students in for the night."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! It all wraps up tomorrow.**

We flooed out to the Hog's Head Inn. Aberforth seemed a little startled to see us step out of his large fireplace. "What's this, then?" he asked, looking from the aurors to me. Barnes had accompanied Auror Robards and me.

"Have you seen Sirius tonight?" I asked him, taking a step toward the bar. I could hear Auror Robards making disapproving noises behind me.

"Can't say I have," Aberforth replied, his blue eyes peering intently at me.

"Or a dog?" I pressed. "A large black dog."

Aberforth was looking suspicious now. "No Sirius, no dogs."

"What about a Professor Alistair Clark?" Auror Robards asked, pushing past me to stand between Aberforth and me. His shoulders were drawn up around his ears, set with tension.

"Not him either. What's this all about, then?"

"We're looking for Professor Clark and Sirius," I replied, ignoring the very hard look Auror Robards was giving me over his shoulder. "If you see them, can you send us a patronus?"

"Reckon I can," he replied, shifting uneasily behind the bar. "More secret adventures, Luna?"

"I hope not," I replied wistfully.

I let the aurors precede me from the inn and we started to walk up to Madam Puddifoot's. I clutched my cloak around me with one hand and held the wand in front of me with the other. It started to snow as we moved through the little village.

Auror Robards caught my elbow. "Let me ask the questions," he gritted at me. "Because while you're concerned with finding your _husband_, I'm more interested in finding the man who's been writing dark spells and casting curses all over Britain."

"I imagine they'll be together," I answered evenly. "And Sirius is more distinctive."

He glared at me for another moment, then dropped my arm and moved past me.

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was dark and empty. The flat above had lights on, though, and as we approached, a figure moved in front of the curtained windows and then back into the recesses of the home.

Auror Robards went up to the door and knocked sharply on it, the sound swallowed by the snow that was starting to come down rather thickly. We heard someone moving about inside. A dim light, like a lantern, glowed through the window and came steadily toward us. The door opened to reveal the same rounded, black-haired woman who had chased us out just the day before. "Yes?" she asked guardedly, apparently completely not expecting three people to be knocking at her door at this hour.

"Head Auror Robards," he said, presenting her with his identification.

The change was instantaneous. Her skin went several shades lighter as she dropped her hand across her chest and her mouth fell open. "Aurors! Here!"

"Have you seen Sirius Black?" he asked her, stepping forward in an intimidating fashion.

She shrank back and shook her head violently. "No, I... No."

"You saw us a few weeks ago, remember?" I asked her and she looked at me as though noticing me for the first time. Auror Robards looked a glare over his shoulder at me.

"A few weeks ago." She nodded, her hand fluttering at her breast. "Yes. But not since."

"Have you seen Professor Alistair Clark?" Auror Robards continued.

"Him? What do you want with him?" Her voice was higher than it had been when she'd ordered us from her shop, the stress of the situation forcing her pitch up.

"Where is he?" the auror snapped.

"He's not here!" she exclaimed, a sudden flush of color turning her cheeks darker in the dim light. She glanced at me again and bit her lip.

"That's not what I asked," Auror Robards informed her through gritted teeth.

"What do you want with him, anyway?" She was backing slowly through the table-crowded tea shop and the Head Auror was advancing on her, staying uncomfortably close.

"He is a dangerous man," the auror said quietly enough that I could barely hear him.

"He's not, he's just looking out for us! Protecting us from that filthy murdering-"

"_We_ make sure you're protected." There was a heavy threat in his voice.

"My husband isn't a murderer," I added helpfully from the doorway. "He was-"

"Mrs. Black!" Auror Robards snapped over his shoulder, cutting me off.

"He killed those muggles! Of course he didn't care- what's the Black motto? Always pure?" The last questions were directed at me.

"Where is he?" The last two words were shouted and Madam Puddifoot shrank back even more.

"He's coming back," she whispered, shrinking away from the angry auror. "He said he had to get the place ready and then he'd be back to get the dog."

"Dog?" I asked, coming forward into the tea shop. Barnes stepped into the doorway behind me, eyes still scanning around outside.

"Mrs. Black!" Auror Robards snapped at me again. "Where is the dog?"

"Upstairs," she muttered. She wouldn't meet his eyes, wouldn't look at any of us.

I pushed past them, shrugging my cloak off when Robards grabbed the back of it as I ran by. I ascended the stairs quickly, ignoring the yells from below. Sirius was in the middle of a living room, a huge black dog laying on its side. He was breathing and his eyes were open, but he was completely still. "I'll help you, Sirius," I said and rushed to his side, sinking down to kneel by him. I wordlessly cast the counter-curse for the body-bind.

And then, somehow, I collapsed across him. My legs fastened themselves together and my arms went rigidly to my sides. My face was buried in Sirius' soft fur.

"Isn't this touching?" came the familiar voice of Alistair Clark. "You killed my brother- and what does a pureblood care about killing muggles! You should have cared. Now your whore will die, and you'll be just as helpless as I was."

I closed my eyes and breathed in the comforting scent that was Sirius, spice and honey now mixed with dog. It was nice to be there with him, even though the situation was less than pleasant. I felt him start to move. Gentle movements, slow movements, like he was trying to get out from under me without drawing attention to himself.

I could hear them behind me, curses and counter-curses and charms. It sounded like Auror Robards and Alistair Clark, who must have borrowed a wand from someone. "_Sectumsempra!"_ rang out and I felt a sharp, intense pain over my shoulderblades, then a spreading wetness on the fabric at the back of my dreses.

Sirius moved suddenly, paws scrabbling on the carpet as he heaved himself out from under me. I gently fell against the carpet. My hair fell in a great pool over my face so that I could only see two of Sirius' paws, which shifted and became feet. "I haven't killed anyone," he said, his elegant voice dark and heavy with anger. "But I may just start now."

It didn't take long for the two of them to overpower him. I heard a sound like something heavy and a little squishy colliding with a wall and then it was silent, punctuated by slightly labored breathing. The pain in my back was growing by the second and I could feel my blood spreading warmly over my sides and collecting at the front of my dress.

"Don't, Black," Auror Robards cautioned. Then, "Don't touch her!" he snapped, likely to Sirius again, and then I felt a wand brushing over the agony of my back. "_Vulnera Sanentur,"_ I heard him say, and then repeat twice more. Another moment and then my arms could move away from my sides and I sagged into the floor.

Instantly, I was being lifted and turned. My head felt like it was going to float away. I gripped Sirius' arms as tightly as I could as he pulled me against his chest. He was saying things, murmuring to me soothingly, but nothing he said seemed to stay in my ears. I watched, fascinated, as Auror Robards summoned a patronus, a great predatory bird with a sharp-looking beak and it flew away from us, through the window and into the night. I wondered what his happy memory was.

Auror Robards crouched down beside us and said something to Sirius, his eyes watching me, and then he rose and went away to call down the stairs. In a moment, Barnes came up with Madam Puddifoot and it seemed as though we were to wait.

Sirius was holding me tightly to him, as though he was worried I was going to slip away. I was very cold and I nestled myself into him as much as I could. My ears opened up and I heard him telling me he loved me and that he'd been so afraid of losing me.

"Do you..." my voice sounded so faint.

A silvery cat pounced in through the window and Minerva's voice filled the room. "It's down, bring her now."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Aaaaaand we're done. Wow. Thank you for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! And especially thank you to the lovely folks who commented through this. You're the best! I am absolutely blown away by how well this has been received. There will be more stories in this head-canon after I take a bit of a break- probably not quite updated so often (I've had this sitting finished on my computer for a while ;) ). **

We were sitting in the hospital wing. Sirius had insisted that he needed to sit on my bed with me and in the end, Poppy had given in. She finished looking over me and nodded in satisfaction. "You and the baby are fine," she said to me. "You just need plenty of rest. As for you, Sirius, I think it's fairly obvious that you're in..." she paused delicately. "Good health. I'll get Minerva, she wanted to have a word with you."

"Baby?" Sirius asked, watching her walk away. He turned his gray eyes, so full of questions, to me. "Baby?" he repeated uncertainly. He looked like he was going to slide off the bed and onto the floor

"I expect we'll be having a baby," I replied slowly, a smile coming across my lips.

Sirius jumped off the bed and grasped me around the waist, lifting me high into the air. "A baby!" he exclaimed before setting me gently back on the bed.

"Unhand my patient!" Poppy exclaimed, rushing to my side. She fussed over me for a moment, getting me settled back against the pillows and giving Sirius a great glare. "Any more of that and I'll have you out of here."

"Minnie!" Sirius exclaimed as the Headmistress approached us. "We're having a baby!" He looked as though he meant to do the same thing with her as he'd just done with me, but one look from her and he stopped in his tracks, the grin on his face borrowing a touch of guilt.

"Indeed," she said, and I could see her smile. "Congratulations. Before I give you time to," she glanced between us, "celebrate, there are matters that need to be discussed."

Sirius attempted to calm himself and sat down beside me on the bed, half-turning toward me so he could rest his hand on my hip. "Yes?" he asked.

"Clark's classes will need to be covered," Filius said in his squeaky voice, coming into view from behind Minerva. "Instead of trying to hire someone tonight, we thought we could split them up among us for the rest of the year and worry about filling the position for next year."

"I've talked to the Minister about it, Luna," Minerva said, looking down at me. "He's somewhat reluctantly agreed to release you from your duties there so that you can take classes here."

I peered up at her for a moment. "I'm not prepared to lead N.E.W.T.-level classes," I replied.

"No," Minerva agreed. "You're not. And I wouldn't be comfortable putting you in that position. What we're proposing is that you and Filius share the D.A.D.A and Charms classes. You would need to take the first and second year Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and take over Filius' first through fifth year Charms classes. You'll need to get them through their O.W.L.s, Luna." She fell silent for a moment, watching me. "I'll be available to assist you as needed. You'll need a few days to recuperate and prepare, but I want you to start on Friday. At least with the fifth years, if you need to the rest can wait until Monday."

Sirius was silent, listening to the conversation. A broad grin broke over his face when he heard Minerva's plans and he gave my hip a light squeeze

I watched the headmistress for a moment, then looked down at Filius who was smiling at me in an encouraging sort of way. "I can do that," I replied. "Just as long as Poppy releases me from the hospital."

Poppy was looking down at me in a concerned fashion and, after a glance at the Headmistress, nodded. "Yes. You can take the classes on Friday," she said somewhat reluctantly. "But you'll need plenty of rest over the next two days, and I want you on your feet as little as possible."

Minerva nodded. "Very good," she said. "I'll have the necessary materials brought to you and we'll prepare an office for you near the Charms room."

My own office. I wondered for a moment if I could paint on the walls. "When is the baby due?" I asked Poppy.

"End of July, I reckon," she replied. "It's been a while, but I'm prepared to help you through this as you require. I can even assist in delivery if you need me to, but I reckon you'll be at home before that happens."

"If you need time off throughout the year, we'll make sure you're taken care of," Filius said. "And you won't need to sit any O.W.L.s, we'll work that out. I'll be in tomorrow and we can discuss what I've been doing with the older years."

Sirius took my hand and gave it a gentle kiss. "Can I take my wife home now?" he asked. "Get started on all that rest?"

Poppy gave him a very disapproving look. "Luna should remain here so that she can rest undisturbed."

"Poppy," Sirius said in a deceptively mild voice, his eyes full of threatening clouds. "If Luna doesn't come home with me tonight, I am going to pull that bed over and stay here with her."

Minerva coughed and I could see her hiding a smile behind her hand. "I'll be in to see you tomorrow, Luna." She turned and left.

Filius came over and patted my arm. "I'll be along tomorrow as well. Rest up, now." He left as well, leaving us alone with the matron.

Poppy was giving Sirius a very hard look and he looked back at her evenly. "Luna will rest just as well in our rooms as she will here. I took very good care of you when your ankle was broken, didn't I, love?" The last part was addressed to me.

I nodded. "You did." I looked up at the scowling nurse. "I'd rest better in our rooms, likely," I agreed. "I find it much easier to sleep in my own bed, and I do have a very hard time sleeping without my husband."

"Fine," she said briskly. "But if I see you about in the halls tomorrow or on Thursday, I will personally come and bring you back here, and you can explain to the headmistress why you won't be able to take any classes on Friday. Wait just a moment and I'll give you the potions you'll need to take." She disappeared into her office for a moment, then came back out with two small potion bottles. "This one tonight when you get settled down to sleep, and this one in the morning as soon as you wake up."

I took them from her. "Thank you," I told her and I saw the hint of a smile.

As soon as she moved away, Sirius jumped to his feet and, after turning back, gently lifted me in his arms. The halls were empty and silent as he carried me along to our rooms.

"Why were you there, Sirius?" I asked quietly so that my voice wouldn't echo against the drafty stone walls.

"He told me he had you. I didn't believe it, but when I went to the Charms room, you weren't there." He kept his voice down as well. "So I went up to Hogsmeade as Padfoot, hoping he wouldn't see me. He had that witch waiting for me and I couldn't stop her as a dog."

"Why?"

He sighed, shifting me in his arms. "His brother was one of the muggles Peter Pettigrew killed. He was quite insistent he have revenge. I wasn't sure he would get to any actual killing, but then he said he had you..." Another great sigh. "I suppose Auror Robards will sort him out."

"I'm glad you're ok. I'll have to floo Molly to let her know I'm alright before I go to sleep or she'll send me a Howler," I said seriously.

He laughed. "I'll do it, love, or Poppy might be the one sending the Howler. You get settled in bed and I'll make a quick call."

I nodded.

A little while later, I was curled up on my side in our bed, Sirius pressed up behind me with one hand protectively splayed across my belly. "If we have a boy, I want to name him Remus Regulus," he murmured, sounding very tired.

"What if we have a girl?" I asked curiously.

"Summer," he replied, brushing a lazy kiss against the nape of my neck. "Summer Luna.**"**


End file.
